Minoritenkirche concert
About 70 minutes of classical music in a medieval Gothic hall, with a programme sheet, a Last Supper mosaic on the wall and a free-cancellation window of 24 hours.
The church
Why hear music in the Minoritenkirche
A Gothic hall in the Innere Stadt
The Minorite friars built the church in the French Gothic manner, and it is among the first Gothic churches in eastern Austria. Inside, three aisles of equal height rise into ribbed vaults. Travellers who have heard concerts here single out the acoustics.
A Last Supper in mosaic
On a side wall hangs a life-size copy of Leonardo's Last Supper, made in mosaic by Giacomo Raffaelli. It was ordered under Napoleonic rule, finished after Napoleon's fall, and given to this church in the 19th century.
A programme that follows the date
Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn all appear, with seasonal evenings at Easter, Advent, Christmas and the new year. Some dates add a choir and orchestra for a requiem. Read the entry for your date before you pick.
The evening, bay by bay
A concert evening, bay by bay
The Minoritenkirche is a hall church: three aisles of the same height under one vault. Follow the evening the same way, one bay at a time.
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The arcade
In through the arcade
The entrance is under the arcade of the church. Admission begins 30 minutes before the concert, and there is no need to come much earlier. Seats are not numbered, and staff at the door guide you to a suitable place.
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The nave
Three aisles, one vault
Take your seat in the hall. The three aisles are the same height, and ribbed vaults rise from clustered piers with no capitals. Some of the traceried windows are medieval originals.
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The wall
The Last Supper on the wall
Before the music starts, look at the long mosaic on the side wall: Leonardo's Last Supper at full size, more than nine metres wide, in a Gothic-style frame.
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The programme
The programme on your date
A programme sheet comes with the ticket. Depending on the date you may hear Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven or Haydn, a cello ensemble, a string quintet, or a choir and orchestra in a requiem.
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The silence
No flash, no filming, no food
Photography inside, video, flash, food and drink are not allowed. Switch your phone off and hold your applause until a piece ends. After a requiem, a respectful silence is usual.
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The square
Out onto Minoritenplatz
The square outside is one of Vienna's oldest, with palaces around it and the Austrian State Archives at number 1. The church that gives it its name has stood here since the Middle Ages.
The performers and the programme change with the date. The booking page for your date names them where they are announced.
On the wall
The Last Supper on the wall
The mosaic is the one object in the church that most visitors ask about. Four facts explain it.
- What it copies
- Leonardo painted The Last Supper in Milan in tempera on a dry wall, and the paint began to deteriorate soon after. A mosaic copy was meant to last.
- Who made it
- Giacomo Raffaelli, a Roman mosaicist who ran a school of mosaic in Milan from 1804, worked from a painted copy by Giuseppe Bossi. It was ordered under Napoleonic rule and finished after Napoleon's fall.
- How it reached the church
- The Austrian emperor Franz had it brought from Milan to Vienna, where it lay dismantled in a Belvedere store. His successor Ferdinand I gave it to this church, and it was set up in the 1840s.
- How big it is
- About 9.18 by 4.47 metres, and roughly 20 tonnes in weight.
Inside and around
The church in pictures
The nave, a traceried window, the carved main portal, the organ, the tower in evening light and the arcade at night.
Church concerts in Vienna
Three church concerts in the Innere Stadt
| Option | What you get | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Minoritenkirche concert | About 70 minutes of classical music in a medieval Gothic hall, with a programme sheet, a Last Supper mosaic on the wall and a free-cancellation window of 24 hours. | Anyone who wants a Gothic church and a programme that changes with the date. |
| Concert in St. Anne's Church (Annakirche) | About 70 minutes from a string ensemble playing on period instruments, in a Baroque church. The concert programme comes with the ticket. | Listeners who prefer a Baroque interior and Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven or Schubert on period instruments. |
| Concert in St. Peter's Church | About an hour with the Classic Ensemble Vienna, in a Baroque church built in the early 18th century. | Visitors who want a Baroque church and a programme of well-known classics. |
Concerts in Vienna's churches
Book a Vienna church concert
The first card opens the Minoritenkirche concerts. The next two are Baroque-church concerts in the same part of town, there to compare, and a rail below shows more to book in Vienna.
Concert in St. Anne's Church (Annakirche)
About 70 minutes from a string ensemble playing on period instruments, in a Baroque church. The concert programme comes with the ticket.
Concert in St. Peter's Church
About an hour with the Classic Ensemble Vienna, in a Baroque church built in the early 18th century.
More to book in Vienna
Plan the evening
Plan the evening
Finding the entrance
The entrance is under the arcade of the church, on Minoritenplatz in the Innere Stadt. The booking page shows the meeting point for the option you select.
Arriving
Admission begins 30 minutes before the start. Seating is not numbered, and staff at the entrance guide you to suitable seats, so there is no need to queue early.
Getting there
The church is in Vienna's first district, so most central hotels are a short walk or one short ride away. Use the city's public-transport route planner for your own route.
Children
The concert is not suitable for children under 6. Older children who can sit quietly for about 70 minutes are fine.
Access
The ticket is marked wheelchair accessible. For step-free routes and seating details, check the booking page before you travel.
What to wear
Smart-casual fits the setting, and a light layer is sensible in a stone church.
Guides to the church, the mosaic and the music
Guides to the church, the mosaic and the music
Which ticket, and how to book
Minoritenkirche concert: how to book
How to book a classical concert in Vienna's Minoritenkirche: what the ticket includes, how to choose a date, where to sit and how it compares.
Read the guide → The church itselfMinoritenkirche Vienna: what to see
The Minoritenkirche in Vienna: its Gothic portal, the tower hit in two sieges, the Italian national church and the Last Supper mosaic, in one visit.
Read the guide →FAQ
Before you book
How long is the Minoritenkirche concert?
About 70 minutes. Start times differ by date and appear in the calendar.
Which Minoritenkirche is this?
The Minoritenkirche on Minoritenplatz in Vienna's Innere Stadt. Krems in Lower Austria has a separate Minoritenkirche that also hosts concerts, so check the city before you book.
What will be played?
It depends on the date. Programmes include Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn, with seasonal evenings at Easter, Advent, Christmas and the new year. The booking page for your date shows what is announced.
Is the concert a church service?
No. It is a concert in a church. The building is an active church, so dress and behave as you would in any church.
Can I take photographs?
No. Photography inside, flash and video recording are not allowed.
Can I bring food or drink?
No. The concert rules rule out food, drinks, smoking and alcohol inside the church.
Are the seats numbered?
No. Staff at the entrance show you to a suitable seat, and the doors open 30 minutes before the concert begins.
Can I bring a child?
The concert is not suitable for children under 6.
Can I cancel?
Yes, at no cost until 24 hours before the start, if you booked through GetYourGuide. You may also delay payment.
About 70 minutes of classical music in Vienna's Gothic Minorite Church, free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead.
Book a seat in the Minoritenkirche ↗Fares here are per adult in US dollars, and the booking page shows them in your own currency.