The Church of the Holy Trinity, Vienna, betterknown as Wotruba Kirche, is a church built in modern style which rises up from the Liesig quarter, in the southern periphery of the city.

The church was built in 1976, based on a design by Fritz Wotruba, an Austrian sculpter who was among the most renowned across the international artistic panorama of the day. This building, bizarre in appearance, seems as though broken up into geometric fragments comprised of enormous pillars of cement.

The area where the church stands is where the Nazis built their barracks for the Third Reich’s army. Today the church looks out on a splendid forest which stretches out beyond the city’s confines.

The dark grey cement nods to the brutalist architecture which was characteristic of the period; that’s not to say, however, that the church did not come under strong criticism from the local population.

Nonetheless, the Wotruba Kirche remains a pioneering example of modern architecture, offering an original interpretation of form and the materials available. The result is surprising, and it will be up to you to decide whether you like it or not.

Wotruba Kirche

Mauer, Georgsgasse/Rysergasse, 1230 Vienna, Austria