Heiligenkreuzerhof, Vienna

The Heiligenkreuaerhof and Bernardikapelle is a collection of shops, apartment’s courtyards and one beautiful old church. This area may be a bit difficult to find, but it is worth the effort. This area was once home to merchants and the shops were outside of the protective city walls. Some of the basements date back to the 12th century although most of the visible parts of the buildings there now are considerably newer. The buildings were generally built in the mid 17th to mid 18th centuries.

Although the Bernadikapelle may be a bit understated from the outside, this little chapel is beautiful on the inside and is a very popular spot to have a wedding. The chapel is not open for public display, but tours are regularly given. Be sure to sign up for the tour as the chapel is an excellent example of Baroque furnishings at its best.

The area is sometimes called “Vienna’s oldest apartment block” and the name may make one disinclined to make the effort on a busy vacation to visit this spot. However, the small shops here and the lovely chapel will not disappoint. It may well be one of the highlights of any trip.