Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
Baroque architect
| The work of the baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach remains impressive to this day. Every year, thousands of locals and tourists admire Schönbrunn Palace and the Karlskirche (St. Charles’ Church) in Vienna as well as the Mausoleum in Graz.
1656 Johann Bernhard Fischer is born in Graz.
1670 The young man moves to Rome to study with the Schorr family of artists.
1687-1689 A year after his return to Graz, the artist goes to Vienna to become a sculptor at the Imperial court.
1689-1705 The sculptor is appointed architecture teacher to the crown prince.
1705 Johann Bernhard Fischer receives the title of „royal court engineer“ and is ennobled as a „von Erlach“.
From 1715 onwards The architect’s greatest works, such as the Karlskirche and Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, are built.
1723 Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach dies aged 66 after a long illness.
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
| Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach was born Johann Bernhard Fischer on 20 July 1656 in Graz. He grew up in a creative environment – his father was a sculptor – and went to Rome aged 14 to study with the Schorr family of artists. Finally, in 1684 he went to Milan before returning to Graz two years later.
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In the Emperor’s service
| However, Fischer soon left his home town and went to Vienna. There he worked as a sculptor in the service of Emperor Leopold I and also planned buildings for the prince of Liechtenstein. In 1689, he became the architecture teacher of the heir to the Imperial throne, who would later become Emperor Joseph I. At that time, Leopold also promoted him to „royal engineer“, thereby conferring upon him the title of „von Erlach“.
Buildings
| Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach is the architect of many of Austria’s most famous buildings. Not only did he plan Schönbrunn Palace, the Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Church of the Holy Trinity) in Salzburg and the Karlskirche (St. Charles’ Church) in Vienna, he also designed the interior of the Mausoleum in Graz. His other architectural works include the court stables and the Imperial chancellery and library in Vienna. Together with Andreas Schlüter, Fischer von Erlach is today regarded as the founder of German late baroque architecture. After a long illness, he died in 1723 in Vienna at the age of 66. He was married twice.
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