Frauenkirche Maria The Glorious

The Frauenkirche Maria the Glorious, also known as the Church of Our Lady of Baden, is a Catholic church located in the spa town of Baden, Lower Austria. The church has a rich and varied history, dating back to the 13th century and witnessing several events that shaped the history of Austria and Europe. The church also showcases a unique blend of baroque and classicist styles, reflecting the changes and influences of different periods and architects.

Origins and Early History

The Frauenkirche was originally built as a parish church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the 13th century, and was then known as Marienkirche. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but the oldest surviving document mentioning the church dates from 1254. The church was situated on a hill overlooking the town and the river Schwechat, and was surrounded by a cemetery and a courtyard.

In 1285, the church and its adjacent property were donated by Leutold von Chreusbach and his family to the Augustinian hermits, a religious order that followed the rule of St. Augustine. The Augustinians established a monastery next to the church and expanded the complex over the years. They also added a Gothic choir and a polygonal apse to the church in the 14th century.

The Conversion of Friedrich Augustus the Strong

One of the most notable events that took place in the Frauenkirche was the conversion of Friedrich Augustus the Strong, the elector of Saxony and the king of Poland, to Catholicism. Friedrich Augustus was born a Lutheran and ruled Saxony as a Protestant prince. However, in order to become the king of Poland, which was a predominantly Catholic country, he had to convert to Catholicism. He chose the Frauenkirche as the place of his conversion, as it was close to the border between Saxony and Austria, and also because he had a good relationship with Emperor Leopold I, who was the patron of the Augustinians.

The conversion ceremony took place on June 1, 1697, in the presence of several dignitaries, including the emperor, the archbishop of Mainz, and the bishop of Vienna. Friedrich Augustus renounced his Protestant faith and swore allegiance to the pope and the Catholic Church. He also received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and communion. The conversion was a controversial and political move, as it alienated many of his Protestant subjects and allies, but also secured his election as the king of Poland.

The Dissolution of the Monastery and the Fire of Baden

The Frauenkirche and the monastery suffered a major setback in the early 19th century, when they were affected by the secularization and the Napoleonic wars. In 1811/12, the monastery was dissolved by the Austrian government, and the church was reduced to a simple parish church. The Augustinians had to leave the premises and the property was confiscated by the state. The church and the monastery also sustained significant damage during the fire of Baden in 1812, which destroyed most of the town. The fire was caused by a spark from a French soldier’s pipe, and spread quickly due to the dry and windy weather. The fire consumed the roofs, the towers, the organs, and the interior furnishings of the church and the monastery.

The Restoration and the Court Church

The Frauenkirche and the monastery were saved from further decay and destruction by Joseph Friedrich Freiherr von Haan, a wealthy and influential nobleman who acquired the property in 1814. He undertook extensive renovations and restorations of the church and the monastery, and also added a new wing to the complex. He also collected and donated many artworks and relics to the church, such as paintings, statues, altars, and reliquaries. He intended to make the church a center of pilgrimage and devotion to the Virgin Mary.

In 1826, von Haan sold the church and the monastery to Emperor Franz I, who was impressed by the beauty and the history of the place. The emperor reconsecrated the church in 1827 and elevated it to the status of a court church in 1828. The church became a place of worship and ceremony for the imperial family and the court, and also hosted several important guests, such as Pope Pius IX, Emperor Napoleon III, and King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The church also served as the last residence of Emperor Karl I, the last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who abdicated in 1918 and lived in the monastery until his exile in 1919.

The Architectural Style and the Facade

The Frauenkirche is a remarkable example of the fusion of baroque and classicist styles, as it reflects the changes and influences of different periods and architects. The original church was built in the Romanesque style, with a basilica plan and a flat ceiling. The Gothic choir and the apse were added in the 14th century, and the baroque elements were introduced in the 17th and 18th centuries, such as the vaulted ceiling, the frescoes, the stucco, and the altars. The most significant changes, however, were made in the 19th century, when Johann Nepomuk Amann, a renowned architect, redesigned the facade and the interior of the church.

Amann was commissioned by von Haan and the emperor to modernize and beautify the church, and he applied the classicist style, which was popular at the time. He replaced the old facade with a new one, featuring a double-tower design with classical elements, such as pilasters, cornices, pediments, and statues. He also added a rectangular portal with a round-arched window, and a triangular tympanum with a relief of the coronation of the Virgin Mary. The facade underwent further renovations in 1924 and 1934, and is now considered one of the landmarks of Baden.

Baden bei Wien, Austria