Minoritenplatz: the square outside

One of Vienna's oldest squares

Minoritenplatz is described as one of the oldest public squares in Vienna. It lies in the Innere Stadt, the first district, and takes its name from the Minorites, the friars who settled here in the 13th century. The church they built, the Minoritenkirche, still dominates the square. Most visitors come for the church or the concert, so the square gets little attention, but arriving a few minutes before the doors open is a pleasant way to see it. It is a quiet space compared with the busier streets of the old centre.

Why the palaces are here

The square lies close to the imperial court, and from the 16th to the 18th century a number of aristocratic families built town palaces around it. Several still stand. The Palais Dietrichstein dates from the 17th century. The Palais Liechtenstein was built in 1706, and the Palais Starhemberg between 1650 and 1661. Palais Niederösterreich, a 19th-century building, was constructed between 1839 and 1848. The result is a square of baroque and later façades facing a medieval church, an unusual mix that explains the character of the place.

The State Archives

At number 1 stand the Austrian State Archives, the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv. The institution goes back to the 15th century, when Emperor Maximilian I founded it as the Family, Court and State Archive. The building you see now dates only from 1901. It makes an apt neighbour for a church that has been part of the city's history since the Middle Ages. Treat it as part of the view.

Monuments on the square

Small monuments decorate the square. One honours the painter Rudolf von Alt, who painted the Minoritenkirche in 1846. Another honours Clemens Maria Hofbauer, a priest who directed the church in the early 19th century. A third remembers the politician Leopold Figl. None is large, and none competes with the church. If you have time, read the inscriptions. They tell you whom the square chose to remember, and they connect the open space with the people who passed through it. The church holds its own monument to a poet, which has its own guide here.

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The arcade and the entrance

The concert entrance is under the arcade of the church. The arcade is a row of pointed stone arches along the building, and at night it is lit from inside in warm light. Admission begins 30 minutes before the concert, and staff at the door guide you to seats. You do not need to queue early. Standing in the arcade is also a good way to shelter from rain or wind while you wait, and it is an easy place to meet a friend who is arriving separately.

An evening around the church

The square sits in the old centre, so a meal before or after is easy to arrange. Choose a restaurant by looking at the start time on your confirmation, and leave a margin, because the doors open 30 minutes ahead and the concert runs about 70 minutes. Nothing to eat or drink may be taken into the church. After the concert, the square is a calm place to stop and let the music settle before you head back. Public transport serves the first district well, and a route planner for your date will give you the route.