Campus of Religions

Interreligious center (in the making) in Vienna

Initiators
The idea for the project originates with Harald Gnilsen, Chairman of the association “Campus der Religionen” and executive director of the Vienna Archdiocese´s building department. In 2010, eight religious communities joined forces and formed a cooperation to implement the project: the Austrian Buddhist Religious Society, the Islamic Religious Authority of Austria, the Jewish Religious Community in Vienna (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde), the New Apostolic Church in Austria, the Protestant Church A. B. (Augsburg Confession) in Austria, the Roman-Catholic Church (Archdiocese Vienna), the Sikh Religious Community in Austria and the Hindu Religious Community in Austria.

The City of Vienna, the city´s Project Management Seestadt Aspern and Vienna 3420 aspern Development AG are also participating in the project.

Occasion
The original plan ‒ to establish a Catholic parish in the newly developing Seestadt Aspern ‒ expanded into the idea of providing an interreligious space where different religious communities could meet. Apart from providing space where Seestadt residents could practice their religions, the project was inspired by the wish for a peaceful coexistence of and exchange between the various religions and worldviews.

The building plan included individual spaces for the participating religious communities as well as a central place as a communal “space of encounter”. Planners decided on designing the Campus opening up towards the city.

Target Groups

  • members of religious communities
  • local residents
  • anyone interested, from Austria or abroad

Objectives

  • to create an interreligious venue providing spaces for religious practice and exchange
  • to intensify interreligious dialogue between Austrian religious communities
  • to foster a positive living-together of the various religious communities and the religiously pluralistic residents of the newly developing district of Vienna

Topics

  • planning and implementation of the project
  • interreligious places and „Houses of the Religions
  • shared feasts and celebrations, joint statements on events

Duration
The project has been in planning since 2010. In 2020, an architectural competition which defined the basic design of the Campus was organized. Construction works were to begin in 2023. In autumn 2021, the KPH Vienna/ Krems, originally a partner in the project, withdrew. Fundamental alterations of the original plan were necessary. A longer construction phase is to be expected. Upon completion, the Campus of the Religions is intended for continuous operation.

Activities
Apart from planning activities, several events have already taken place on the premises. In 2015, the construction site was fitted with flags of the participating religious communities and consecrated by dignitaries. Further events included, among other, the Spring Festival 2019 and the re-erection of flagpoles that had been damaged in acts of vandalism. Several press conferences, joined by Michael Ludwig, Mayor of Vienna, have been held on site. In 2020 and 2021, results of the architectural competition were shown at several locations.

A wide range of activities will take place as soon as construction of the buildings is completed.

Form of Organization
The non-profit association „Campus der Religionen“ was founded in 2019. Harald Gnilsen is Chairman, Gursharan Singh Mangat Vice-Chairman of the association.

Funding
In 2019, the City of Vienna donated the construction site, ownership was transferred to the association. Accumulated expenses have been funded by the City of Vienna, in particular through the Funds for City Expansion, from which the Archdiocese of Vienna had received means for building a church in Seestadt Aspern in 2008.

The participating religious communities are responsible for the funding of the individual buildings. Not all have the financial means, or, are willing to set up their own building. It is still unclear how common areas, p. e. the central place, will be funded. The association hopes for public subsidies. Fund-raising campaigns could be organized.

Products
Online-calendar featuring religious feast and memorial days.

Website | Social Media | Contact
www.campus-der-religionen.at/

Campus der Religionen
Seestadt Aspern
Baufeld H2A
A-1220 Wien

Erzdiözese Wien
Erzbischöfliches Bauamt
Wollzeile 2
A-1010 Wien

T: +43 1 51552 3204
E-mail: verein@campus-der-religionen.at

 

editor: ns / update: ew 2022