Leslie Massey
Austria has a long and complex religious history, with many faiths influencing the country's culture and society. While Austria is a secular state, freedom of religion is guaranteed in the constitution, and the country has a rich religious landscape. So, what is the main religion in Vienna, Austria?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main religion | Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism |
| Religious freedom | Guaranteed in the Austrian constitution since 1867 |
| Religious demographics | 55.2% Christian, 8.3% Muslim, 4.9% Orthodox Christian, 3.8% Evangelical Christian, 0.1% Jewish, 5.4% other religions, 22.4% no religion |
| Religious tax | Austrian Christians pay a mandatory membership fee of about 1% to their church |
| Religious education | Parents decide their child's religion until age 10; children are consulted from ages 10-12; children can choose their religion from age 14 |
| Religious landscape | Many churches, cathedrals, and monasteries due to historical influence of Catholicism |
| Jewish population | Nearly 10,000 Jews in Austria, with the majority residing in Vienna |
| Islamic population | Recognized as a religious community in 1912; nearly 8% of Viennese population |
| Buddhist population | 10,000 practicing Buddhists in Austria, with Vienna as the center of the Austrian Buddhist Church |
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What You'll Learn
Catholicism is the largest religion in Austria
Austria has a long history as a strongly Catholic country, dating back to its time as the centre of the Habsburg monarchy from 1273 to 1918. The Catholic Church still plays a significant role in Austrian tradition and culture, with beautiful churches, shrines, monasteries, and cathedrals found throughout the country, including the famous St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.
However, it's important to note that Austria has also experienced a decline in Catholicism in recent years, particularly among the younger generation. This is due in part to the increasing secularisation of Austrian society and criticism of the church's conservative stance on various social issues. Despite this, Catholicism continues to have a significant influence on the country's social fabric.
In addition to Catholicism, there are several other religious groups in Austria, including Muslims, who make up the second-largest religious group with 8% of the population, and Jews, who have had a presence in the country since the 10th century. There are also smaller communities of Buddhists, Serbian Orthodox Christians, and various Protestant denominations, including Lutherans and Reformists.
Austria guarantees religious freedom in its constitution, allowing for a diverse religious landscape. The country has a history of recognising different religions, including Islam, which was officially recognised in 1912, and Buddhism, which was recognised in 1983.
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Islam is the second-largest religion in Austria
Austria is a predominantly Christian country, with 68.2% of the population identifying as such in a 2021 national survey. Among Christians, 80.9% are Catholics, 7.2% are Orthodox Christians, 5.6% are Protestants, and the remaining 6.2% belong to other Christian denominations or are not affiliated with any specific denomination.
The first evidence of Muslims in Austria dates back to nomadic tribes from Asia that entered the region in 895. Following the Ottoman conquest of the Medieval kingdom of Hungary in the 16th century, more Muslims moved into what is now Austrian territory. However, they were expelled after the Habsburg Empire regained control of the region in the late 17th century, though a few were permitted to stay after the Treaty of Passarowitz in 1718. In the 19th century, Austria officially recognised Islam and granted Muslims certain rights and privileges, including the freedom to practice their religion and establish mosques.
In recent years, immigration from countries like Turkey and the former Yugoslavia has led to an increase in the number of Muslims in Austria. In 1971, only 0.3% of the population identified as Muslim, but by 2001, this number had risen to 4.2%. The proliferation of Islam in Austria has been accompanied by efforts to combat radical Islam and Islamic extremism, such as the introduction of the Islamgesetz in 2015, which banned foreign funding of mosques and the payment of salaries to imams by foreign entities.
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Judaism has been present in Austria since the 10th century
The main religion in Vienna, and Austria as a whole, is Roman Catholicism. However, Judaism has been present in Austria since at least the 10th century.
The first documented evidence of a Jewish presence in what is now Austria dates back to the 3rd century CE, with the discovery of a third-century amulet in the form of a gold scroll inscribed with the words of the Jewish prayer Shema Yisrael ("Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one") found in the grave of a Jewish infant in Halbturn. It is believed that the first Jews immigrated to Austria following the Roman legions after the Roman occupation of Israel.
In the 10th century, a document determined equal rights between Jewish and Christian merchants along the Danube, implying a Jewish population in Vienna at this time. However, the existence of a Jewish community in the area is only known for certain after the start of the 12th century, when two synagogues existed. In 1194, the first Jew whose settlement in Vienna could be documented, Shlom, was installed as mint master by Duke Leopold V. In 1204, the first mention of a synagogue in Vienna was made, and excavations on Judenplatz revealed its existence.
In the 12th century, the Jewish settlement in Vienna grew with the arrival of Jewish settlers from Bavaria and the Rhineland. By the 13th century, Jews in Vienna had reached a period of relative prosperity and religious freedom. A group of families headed by notable rabbis settled in the city and established a beit midrash, which became a prominent school of Talmudic studies in Europe.
However, increased tensions and jealousy from the Christian population, as well as hostility from the Catholic Church, led to a decline in Austria's prominence as a religious center for Jewish scholarly endeavours. The Jewish community in Vienna faced persecution and expulsion over the centuries, particularly during the reign of Leopold I, when they were frequently deported and subjected to discriminatory laws.
By 1938, there were approximately 190,000-200,000 Jews in Vienna alone, making up around 10% of the city's population. Unfortunately, the flourishing Jewish chapter in Vienna's history came to a tragic end with the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in the same year. During World War II, the Jewish community in Austria was decimated, with around 65,000-65,459 Jewish Austrians killed in the Holocaust and many others emigrating. By the end of the war in 1945, only 5,816 Jews remained in Austria.
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Buddhism is practised by 10,000 Austrians
The main religion in Vienna, Austria, is Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism. However, Buddhism, a legally recognized religion in the country, is practised by a small but significant number of Austrians—approximately 10,000 people, according to the 2001 census.
Buddhism has a long history in Austria, with artists and intellectuals in Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, taking an interest in the religion as early as the late 19th century due to the influence of thinkers like Arthur Schopenhauer and Richard Wagner. In 1884, Karl Eugen Neumann, who had met Wagner, decided to become a Buddhist and studied the original languages to translate large parts of the Pali Canon into German. In 1913, Arthur Fitz, a man from Graz, became the first recorded Austrian to be ordained as a Buddhist monk, taking the name Bhikkhu Sono.
The development of Buddhism in Austria was hindered by the country's political situation in the early 20th century, which included an alliance between the Fascist regime and the Catholic Church. However, interest in Buddhism flourished again after the establishment of the "Buddhist Society of Vienna" in 1949, with individuals like Fritz Hungerleider and Dr Walter Karwath, who had spent time in Asia, playing a significant role in bringing Buddhism to a broader audience.
Vienna, which has the largest number of foreign residents in Austria, is also the centre of Austrian Buddhism and is home to most Buddhist temples and centres of practice. These temples and centres often reflect specific traditions, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan, and Japanese influences. The Vienna Central Cemetery now includes a "Buddhist Cemetery" for funeral ceremonies, reflecting the growing presence of Buddhism in the country.
While the majority of Buddhists in Austria are Austrian nationals, a considerable number are foreign nationals, reflecting the diverse and multicultural nature of Austrian society and the widespread acceptance of Buddhism within the country.
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Protestantism in Austria includes Lutherans and Reformists
Austria has two forms of Protestantism: Lutheranism, which follows the Augsburg Confession (A.C.), and Reformism, which follows the Helvetic Confession (H.B.). In 2021, Protestants made up 5.6% of Austria's population, with 3.4% being Lutheran and 0.1% being Reformed.
The Protestant Reformation spread from northern Germany to Austria in the 16th century. By the Council of Trent in 1545, almost half of the Austrian population had converted to Lutheranism, while a minority also endorsed Calvinism. Eastern Austria was more affected by this phenomenon than western Austria.
The nobility in particular turned toward Lutheranism. Sons of the nobility were often sent to North German universities to expose them more fully to Protestant influence. From 1521, Austrian printers produced Protestant pamphlets, and the Anabaptists had a strong appeal among the peasant population. However, due to their radicalism and lack of support from the estates, the Anabaptists were persecuted from the start. In 1528, their leader Balthasar Hubmaier was burned at the stake in Vienna.
In 1545, the Habsburgs began a Counter-Reformation to restore Catholicism as the dominant religion in Austria. They imposed a strict regime to suppress all other religions, which proved successful. The Counter-Reformation first succeeded in Gorizia and Carniola, where Protestantism had a minor influence, and then in Inner Austria and other Habsburg countries. In 1576, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, who had been educated strictly in the Catholic faith, had all Protestants dismissed from court service.
In 1781, Emperor Joseph II issued a Patent of Tolerance for Austria that allowed other confessions a limited freedom of worship. Religious freedom was later declared a constitutional right in Cisleithania in 1867.
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Frequently asked questions
Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism, is the predominant religion in Vienna, Austria. In 2021, 55.2% of the population identified as Roman Catholic, down from 64.1% in 2011 and 73.8% in 2001.
Other religions practised in Vienna include Islam, which is the second-largest religion in Austria, practised by nearly 8% of the Viennese population. There are also Orthodox Christians (4.9%), Evangelical Christians (3.8%), Jews (0.1%), and Buddhists, with about 10,000 Austrian practitioners.
Austria has historically been a strongly Catholic country, but there has been a general decline in Christianity since the 1970s, especially among younger Austrians. In the 16th century, many Austrians converted to Protestantism during the Protestant Reformation, but the Habsburgs enacted measures of Counter-Reformation to restore Catholicism as the dominant religion. During World War II, the Catholic Church was subject to oppression and persecution, and many religious leaders were tortured, executed, or driven to commit suicide. This, along with the mass emigration of Jews from Austria during this period, significantly altered the religious landscape of the country.
