Augustinerkirche

The church is very beautiful, especially the choir, the apse, and the statues located approximately halfway down the nave. The composition of angel and lion is so beautifully sculpted. I was lucky enough to attend choir rehearsals, a magnificent experience. In this church, you can witness the wonder of classical works sung by the choir, but you have to search for the right time!

This Gothic church was founded in the 14th century, closely associated with the Habsburg imperial court. For centuries, it served as one of the most important venues for imperial wedding ceremonies. Among the most notable events held here was the wedding Mass of Marie Antoinette, before she left Vienna to become Queen of France. The church is also linked to Archduchess Maria Christina, whose memorial further reinforces the site’s connection to Habsburg family life and ritual. A unique and striking feature of the church is the Herzgruft (Heart Crypt). In this small, secluded chamber, the hearts of Habsburg royals were buried separately from their bodies—a distinctive funerary tradition of the dynasty. Around 54 silver urns containing these hearts are preserved here, emphasizing the symbolic separation of body, heart, and soul in Habsburg burial practices.

The Augustinian Church is a beautiful and historic landmark near the Hofburg. Its elegant Gothic architecture and serene interior create a peaceful and spiritual atmosphere.

This unique church that shows up out of no where. We were just walking by outside and started to hear the organ being played from the outside. The music made us go in which really surprised us. The church was larger that I thought it would be as you really don’t see the architecture from the outside. Its beautiful gothic design was simplistic yet attractive. I would recommend visiting this place if you few minutes to spare. No tickets required which was great.

Augustinerkirche (Augustinian Church) in Wien was the imperial court church of the Habsburg family. It’s famous for housing the Hearts Crypt (Herzgruft), where the hearts of 54 Habsburg royals are kept in silver urns. According to Habsburg tradition, their bodies were buried in the Imperial Crypt, their hearts in Augustinerkirche, and their internal organs in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This tradition symbolized faith and devotion — the heart returned to God.