Jesuit Church, Vienna

Jesuit Church, Vienna tickets: which one to buy

The Jesuit church, also known as the University Church, stands on a quiet square in the old university quarter of Vienna, about ten minutes' walk east of Saint Stephen's Cathedral, and entry is free. It is one of the most spectacular baroque interiors in the city and is often missed by visitors who concentrate on the cathedral and the Hofburg. Walking tours of the inner city sometimes include it as an example of Andrea Pozzo's illusionistic painting.

Sunday masses here are known for their music, with choir and orchestra performing masses by Haydn, Mozart and other composers, and visitors are welcome to attend; this is one of the best ways to hear classical church music in Vienna without a concert ticket. The square outside, with the Academy of Sciences, is one of the calmest in the centre. Visiting is not possible during services. Programmes of the Sunday music are posted on the church door and on the parish website.

Visiting Jesuit Church, Vienna: what to see

The church was built between 1623 and 1627 for the Jesuit college of the university, and its tall, flat front with two towers dominates the small square. Between 1703 and 1705 the interior was completely redesigned by Andrea Pozzo, the Jesuit painter and architect famous for his illusionistic ceilings in Rome. The result is a riot of colour and movement: twisted columns of green and red marble spiral up the nave, gilded pulpit and altars gleam, and the ceiling is painted with scenes and architecture that seem to open into heaven.

The most famous trick is a painted dome: the church has no real dome, but from the right spot in the nave, a flat painting creates the illusion of a high cupola; walk further along and the illusion collapses. The high altar painting shows the Assumption of the Virgin, and the side chapels are richly decorated. The pulpit is inlaid with mother-of-pearl and is one of the finest pieces of carved furniture in Vienna.

Jesuit Church, Vienna opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily, with limited visiting during Sunday morning masses, which are the time to come for the music. Weekday mornings are quiet. Vienna is busiest in summer and during the Christmas markets in December, but this square remains calm. Winter light is dim inside, so a bright day helps to appreciate the ceiling. The university quarter around the church has old courtyards and cafes.

Look for the marked spot on the floor where the painted dome looks most convincing. Saint Stephen's, the Mozart house and the Postsparkasse building are all within ten minutes on foot. Allow about twenty minutes, or an hour if you attend a sung Sunday mass. The old university hall on the same square now houses the Academy of Sciences, with a painted ceiling of its own.