Church of Mariahilf

The Mariahilfer Kirche, also called the Barnabite or Haydn church, stands at the corner of Mariahilfer Strasse and Barnabitengasse in Vienna's 6th district. The Baroque building was raised 1686-1715 to designs by Sebastian Carlone for the Barnabite order. The miraculous image of the Virgin and Child, a copy of the Cranach painting from Innsbruck, gave the whole district its name. Joseph Haydn, who lived in the Mariahilf parish, was a wedding witness here in 1760 and his sister sang soprano in the choir. Today the church is the parish centre and one of the quietest stops along the busy shopping street. Free entry.