Pfarre zur heiligen Familie

1965-1966

Address

1100 Wien | Puchsbaumplatz 9

Architect

Clemens Holzmeister

Function

Houses of worship

Reachability

U1 Reumannplatz, 12 minutes walk

Accessibility

Open to the public

open house wien

The church and its attached parish house resemble a functional building. But looking up at the tower, standing 32.5 metres tall and with a cross on top, reveals that it is, in fact, a sacral building. The parish church consists of a main room, side chapel, and a narrow wing of the building that harbours the office, the priest’s apartment, and common rooms. The church interior is plain and unadorned. The altar, made of Italian travertine marble, is symbolic of the new age that followed the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965): It was designed as a people’s altar, allowing the priest to celebrate mass facing the believers. Before that, it was common to design the altar the other way around. The colourful mosaic, measuring 8 x 15 metres and designed by the Viennese artist Carl Unger, contrasts the plain architecture.

Foto

RobertSaringerOHW15