Vienna - Gardekirche

This square church was built in 1755-63 during Maria Theresa's reign by Nikolaus Pacassi to serve as the church of the Imperial Hospital. In 1782 it was handed over to the Polish Life Guards as the Gardekirche. It was altered again between 1890 and 1898.

In 1897 it became the Polish national church dedicated to the Crucified Savior. The painting above the High Altar in the attractive central section of the building with its light Late Roccoco decoration is by Peter Strudel and dates from 1712. Strudel was the founder of the Akademie der Bildenden Künste.