Karlskirche (St. Charles' Church, completed in 1737) is a baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo.
It's considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings.
St Charles' Church was created by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The design was influenced by the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and Trajan's Column in Rome.
Karlskirche has garnered fame due to its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli.
The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem.
They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power.
The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
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