How did Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach use the emperor’s symbols in the Karlskirche?

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In the design of the Karlskirche, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach utilized imperial symbolism to transform the church into a monument glorifying both the patron saint and Emperor Charles VI.1

The most prominent architectural feature serving this purpose is the pair of giant triumphal columns flanking the central portico. While these columns feature spiral reliefs depicting the life of St. Charles Borromeo, they also serve as a direct allusion to the emperor’s personal emblem, the "pillars of Hercules". By integrating these symbols, Fischer von Erlach harmonized the religious function of the building—fulfilling the emperor's vow following a plague—with a grand expression of imperial power and identity.12