The Church of St Charles Borromeo, known as the Karlskirche, is one of Vienna’s most visited landmarks. Here you’ll find all the different types of tickets available, prices including any discounts, and everything you need to know to plan your visit without any surprises.
How much does it cost to visit the Karlskirche?
Admission to the Church of San Carlos Borromeo costs €9.50 for adults and includes full access: the church, the panoramic terrace, the lift up to the fresco, the organ gallery, the treasury and the model of the building. An audio guide is also included.
| Type of visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | 9,50 € |
| Group (6 or more people) | 8,50 € per person |
| Student (with student card) | 6,00 € |
| Young person | 5,00 € |
| A child aged 10 or under | Free |
Is it cheaper to buy a ticket at the box office or to book online?
The price is practically the same. The real difference lies in what you get with each option.
If you buy at the ticket office, you pay on arrival, but you have to queue — especially between April and October, when it’s very busy. If you buy online, you can book your ticket in a minute, go straight in without queuing, and cancel free of charge up to 24 hours in advance if your plans change. For most travellers, the decision is an easy one.
What does admission to the Karlskirche include?
Unlike many European churches where you pay to get in and see nothing but four walls, a visit to St Charles Borromeo’s Church offers experiences you won’t find in any other church in Vienna. Here they are, one by one.
The panoramic terrace: Views of Vienna from inside the dome
The terrace is the feature that surprises visitors the most and is mentioned most frequently in reviews. It is not a conventional viewing platform on the outside of the building: you are inside the Baroque dome itself, at a height from which the city unfolds in every direction.
From up there, you can clearly see:
- The Musikverein — home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Year’s Concert
- St Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom), to the north, towering over the historic centre
- The newly renovated Wien Museum, at the foot of the cathedral
- The Rathaus (Town Hall), with its neo-Gothic spire
- Resselpark, the park surrounding Karlsplatz
- The DC Tower — Austria’s tallest skyscraper — on the skyline
You reach the terrace via a spiral staircase on the side of the dome. It’s all part of the experience: as you climb, the interior of the church gradually opens up beneath your feet in a way you wouldn’t expect from below.
Please note: the terrace closes at 5.30 pm every day.
The lift and Rottmayr’s fresco: 1,250 m² of Baroque painting at a height of 32.5 metres
The Karlskirche has the tallest dome in the whole of Vienna: 72 metres to the base of the cross, with an oval floor plan — something rather unusual in the Baroque style of the period.
Inside the dome is a 1,250-square-metre fresco painted by Johann Michael Rottmayr. It is entitled The Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo and depicts the saint ascending to heaven whilst interceding with the Virgin Mary on behalf of the citizens of Vienna during the plague epidemic.
The panoramic lift takes you up to a viewing platform 32.5 metres above the ground, from where you can view the fresco up close and make out details that are impossible to see from the ground, 72 metres below. It is an experience that very few churches in the world offer, and one that makes the visit truly unforgettable.
The organ gallery, the sacristy and the model of the church
The ticket includes three additional features that come as a surprise to many visitors:
Organ Gallery
As you descend from the terrace, the route takes you past the Baroque organ gallery, built in 1739. From there, you can see the instrument up close — offering a completely different view of the church’s interior to that from the floor — and admire the nave from a height that few visitors realise exists.
Treasury — Borromeo Museum
A small collection of great historical value centred on the church’s patron saint. Among the items preserved here are sacred relics of the Habsburg bishops and, above all, the original travelling garments of St Charles Borromeo himself. It is not a large museum, but the objects possess a historical significance that is hard to find elsewhere.
Model of the church
A 1:28 scale replica, 2.48 metres high, built between 2020 and 2022. It provides an insight into the building’s architecture that is not possible from inside: the relationship between the dome and the nave, the side aisles, and the columns at the entrance. It also shows rooms that are not open to the public, such as the sacristy, the bell chamber and the imperial staircase.
Discounts and special rates for visiting the Karlskirche
The Karlskirche has a more flexible pricing policy than most visitors realise. These are the discounts available:
Group admission (6 or more people) — €8.50 per person
If there are six or more of you visiting together, the price drops to €8.50 per person, payable directly at the ticket office. No prior booking or special arrangements are required: simply turn up together and you’ll be charged the group rate.
For larger groups who would also like a guided tour, it’s best to contact the church directly to organise the visit.
Students and young people — From €5
With a valid student card, admission costs €6. For young people (no student card required), the price is €5. Proof of eligibility must be shown at the ticket office at the time of your visit.
Children aged 10 or under — Free admission
Children aged 10 and under are admitted free of charge. No additional booking or prior arrangements are required: simply state their ages on arrival.
It is one of Vienna’s most interesting sights to visit as a family, particularly because of the experience of climbing up to the dome and seeing the city from inside it.
Practical tips before your visit to the Karlskirche
Small details that make the difference between a peaceful visit and one with unpleasant surprises:
- Bring your own headphones. The audio guide is downloaded onto your mobile. Without headphones, you won’t be able to hear it.
- Arrive before 5.00 pm if you want to go up to the terrace. Access closes at 5.30 pm and the climb up the spiral staircase takes a while.
- Dress in layers whether you’re visiting in winter or summer. The church doesn’t have effective heating or air-conditioning: it’s cold inside in winter, whilst in summer the heat builds up particularly in the dome.
- There are no toilets inside. If you need to use the toilet before or during your visit, the nearest facilities are the pay-to-use toilets at Karlsplatz.
- The entrance is accessible to people with reduced mobility via a ramp. The terrace and the museum, however, are not fully accessible.
- The Karlskirche is an active church. Masses are held from Monday to Saturday at 6.00 pm and on Sundays at 9.00 am and 10.30 am. If your visit coincides with a mass, access for tourists may be temporarily restricted.
Frequently asked questions about tickets for the Karlskirche
It isn’t essential, but it is highly recommended between April and October, which is when visitor numbers are at their highest. By booking online, you’re guaranteed entry, you avoid queuing at the ticket office, and you have the peace of mind of being able to cancel free of charge if your plans change. In the low season (November to March), the wait at the ticket office is usually minimal.
The guided tour, which includes access to the terrace, the fresco and the museum, costs €9.50 for adults. However, it is possible to enter the church free of charge by attending Mass: Monday to Saturday at 6.00 pm, and on Sundays at 9.00 am (in Latin) and at 10.30 am (Sunday High Mass). In this case, access to the terrace and the museum is not available.
No. A single-entry ticket includes the audio guide on your mobile phone — please remember to bring your own headphones.
Three essential items: headphones (for the audio guide), the QR code for your ticket (on your mobile or printed out), and comfortable footwear for climbing the spiral staircase up to the terrace. If you’re visiting during extreme weather, make sure to bring warm clothing in winter or light clothing in summer.
The terrace closes at 5.30 pm every day, an hour before the church (which closes at 6.00 pm from Monday to Saturday). To explore the terrace at your leisure, it’s best to arrive before 5.00 pm.
Yes. Tickets purchased online via GetYourGuide can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the chosen date. Tickets purchased directly at the ticket office are non-refundable.
Opening hours for the Church of St Charles Borromeo
| Day | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 9:00 – 18:00 h |
| Sundays and public holidays | 11:45 – 19:15 h |
| Panoramic terrace | Closes at 5.30 pm (every day) |
| Concerts | Usually starts at 8.15 pm |
The full tour — church, lift, terrace, organ and museum — takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on each visitor’s pace.