Room 6

Heaven on Earth

In the 17^th century the Austrian Church was once again strong. Only in this way were they able to thwart the great Turkish threat (in 1683 outside of Vienna). A very lively faith had brought strength and was able to develop after having proved itself. The people of this time were happy to know the proximity of their God. Since they also knew about human suffering and had to endure it, they tried to bombard their God: an almost physical piety (brotherhoods of prayer, cult of relics, pilgrimages). Man had something he could hold on to.

Monasteries had become important crystallization points of spiritual, cultural and church life: science and art flourished. An art form developed that on the one hand was very human: it showed joy in splendor, in large forms, in color, in everything that was simply beautiful and good. On the other hand this art wanted to glorify and be like that which was the living center of the lives of these men.