Wotrubakirche celebrates 50 years as a Vienna landmark

The Wotrubakirche, officially the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Vienna. Located on Georgenberg, the structure is composed of 135 asymmetrically stacked concrete blocks and is a prominent example of Brutalist architecture.

The project was driven by Margarethe Ottillinger, an OMV manager who lobbied for the design created by sculptor Fritz Wotruba and architect Fritz Gerhard Mayr. Ottillinger, who had previously spent seven years in Soviet prisons, intended the building to serve as a counterpoint to declining religious faith.

While the design was highly controversial at the time of its consecration on October 24, 1976, it has since become a recognized landmark of Vienna and the Catholic Church. During a jubilee service on October 17, Vienna Archbishop Josef Grünwidl remarked that the building represents the tension between movement and preservation, tradition and reform.