The Collegiate Church is also called the University Church, since it was built for the Benedictine University, founded in 1622. Kollegienkirche is considered the finest of the Baroque churches in Austria, a country exceptionally rich in buildings of this style. The church was built from 1694 to 1707 under the direction of Fischer von Erlach, the founder of Baroque in Austrian architecture.
This magnificent white building with oval and arched windows, rounded lines of the facade and pediment, and refined stucco decorations resembles an imperial palace more than a house of prayer. The central part and the two side towers are approximately the same height, making Kollegienkirche unlike the familiar European churches, where the tower is significantly taller than the rest of the building.
The height of the vaults in this church is no less striking than the stunning interior decoration. From the mosaic floor to the high dome, the snow-white walls and columns are adorned with ornate stucco and carving. The white color of the walls beautifully highlights the colorful altars with exquisite early 18th-century paintings created by Johann Rottmayr, one of the finest artists of the Baroque era.
The flawless beauty of Kollegienkirche impressed Mozart so deeply that he wrote a mass especially for this cathedral, which is performed during the 40-hour service on Trinity Sunday.
