Votivkirche#
Votivkirche, Vienna, 9th district, built from 1855 to 1879 based on plans by H. v. Ferstel at the suggestion of Cardinal J. O. v. Rauscher and with the help of the heir apparent to the throne, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian (later Emperor Maximilian of Mexico), to commemorate the failure of Libenyi´s attempt on the life of Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1853. The neo-Gothic building marked the beginning of urban expansion and was later integrated into the series of Ringstrasse buildings. The original idea was to build an imperial church and hall of fame, but these plans were not realised and in 1862 the Emperor dedicated the Votivkirche as a garrison church; in 1878 it was raised to the rank of a provostry and contacts with the university were initiated. Numerous renowned artists of the day contributed to its interior and decorations (e.g. V. Tilgner, J. Gasser, J. Benk, J. Fuehrich, J. M. Trenkwald).
Literature#
M. Thausing, Die Votivkirche in Wien, 1879.