NEW PICS!!! Day 9-KarlzKirche and Klimt NEW PICS!!!

Today we went on another architecture tour around the old city. We walked by a bunch of historical places that were built during the Habsburg Empire, including the national library, one of the first buildings built solely for the purpose of knowledge, and sharing that knowledge with the general population. Maria Theresa, former Queen was very interested in raising the literacy rate of her population, and everyone was entitled to go to school until the 8th grade.

We also walked by a building within the massive Hofburg complex (the many buildings where the Habsburgs lived and entertained) that is now a theatre museum. I'll check that out later. But apparently Beethoven premiered his 3rd symphony there!

Exterior of KarlzKirche

Looking up to the dome inside the Church. Notice all the scaffolding!

The coolest thing we did was visit the KarlzKirche (Charles Church) which is a mish-mash of different architectural styles all put into one church. It was built as a celebration of the end of the Plague and was dedicated to Charles, a priest who helped many through that dark time. On the inside, they are restoring all of the frescoes on the ceiling. They have scaffolding all the way up, so they decided to (charge some money) and let the public go up to see the frescoes up close!! We were never meant to see a church this way! It was crazy! You could go all the way up to the dome and the smaller outcropping at the tip top. Nowhere else would you be able to do that. You can almost touch the ceiling!

The last thing I did today was to visit the Belvedere again, but looking at the architecture this time and the former use as a nobleman's summer mansion. It is now an art gallery which includes old medieval and classical works as well as some Monet, Renoir, and Degas. There was an entire gallery just for Gustav Klimt! "The Kiss" is the main feature. They had several of his landscape paintings, Judith II, and some unfinished portraits. It was amazing. I would have loved to see the "Tree of Life." Not sure where that one is located. I couldn't take pictures in the museum...

Tomorrow we're off to the opera!

Toward the alter

The organ

The alter in the style of a theatre. Notice the window boxes on the sides.

Up in the scaffolding! Getting closer to the dome!

Looking up to the second level!

Up close and personal with a couple angels.

At the top of the scaffolding looking down on one of the windows where people have thrown money of all currencies.

At the very top there's a smaller dome with a beautiful picture.

At the top! You never get to see a church like this! You can still see the brush strokes!!

The view from the top windows. The big steeple is St. Stephen's Cathedral.

You can see where the gold leaf is flaking off.

Looking down from the first level!

More angels with music

You're able to see one of the statues outside on the roof!