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| Virgilkapelle |
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Image: The outlining lines of the
Virgilkapelle at the Stephansplatz
© Verlag Christian Brandstätter - Duncan J. D. Smith |
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The Virgilkapelle is an underground crypt next to
the Stephansdom in Vienna. It is rectangular in form (approximately
6 meters by 10), with six niches, and today lies approximately 12
meters beneath the Stephansplatz.
The history of the chapel is not entirely clear. On architectural
grounds, it is dated to the early 13th century. At this time,
Frederick the Quarrelsome (1230-1246), the last Duke of the House of
Babenberg, was the ruler of Vienna. It has been hypothesized that
the Duke, who would have liked to have established Vienna as an
episcopal see, had the crypt built for St. Coloman of Stockerau, who
was to be the patron of the new diocese. However, the preserved
chronicles do not mention the building, which has given rise to the
speculation that it is the remnant of a failed project.
In the year 1307, a chapel of the Viennese family Chrannest is
mentioned. The chapel was said to have multiple altars, one of which
was dedicated to St. Vergilius of Salzburg. In the Middle Ages, the
Stephansdom was encricled by a large cemetery. For consecrations and
Requiem masses there was a single small chapel, which was dedicated
to St. Mary Magdalene (the Magdalenskapelle). The Virgilkapelle lay
directly underneath underneath this chapel, to which it was
connected by a shaft.
In 1732, the cemetery around the Dom was closed. The
Magdalenskapelle burned in 1781, and was not rebuilt (presumably as,
without a cemetery, there was no need for a funeral chapel). The
Virgilkapelle was filled in and fell into oblivion. In 1973 the
chapel was rediscovered during construction of the Vienna U-Bahn.
Today a mosaic showing the outlines of the Virgilkapelle is visible
on the Stephansplatz. The chapel itself has survived with hardly any
damage, and provides the visitor with an excellent glance into the
world of the Middle Ages. |
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| The Virgilkapelle may be entered directly from the U-Bahn
Station Stephansplatz. It is possible to look into the chapel
from above. A collection of historical ceramics has been
installed at the entrance to the chapel itself. |
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Image: The underground Virgilkapelle, with
painted Byzantine cross.
© Verlag Christian Brandstätter
Duncan J. D. Smith |
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Text source in extracts: |
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| WIKIPEDIA - the free
encyclopedia |
| Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia
with more than 100 languages, where everyone can
contribute with their knowledge |
| de.wikipedia.org |
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