As you head north-by-north-west from the city centre of Vienna, the old centre of the Austro-Hungarian empire, it won’t be long before you reach the Ringstrasse that marks the old walls of the city. There, in Sigmund Freud park, you can see the Votivkirche.

This is a huge church; a neo-Gothic structure that towers over the park and the open space, instantly reminding the viewer of St Stephen’s Cathedral in the centre. It is different – especially if you look closely – but you may spot some puzzled tourists mistaking one for the other and wondering why this church does not sport tours or a gift shop.

The Votivkirche was built between 1856 and 1879 and while the original plans included a university campus to mimic and rival Oxford and Cambridge, the spiralling costs meant that plans were re-drafted and downsized to focus on the religious building alone.

This church was a project started by the Emperor’s brother – Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph – who wished to commemorate the failed assassination attempt on his brother, the Emperor.

This was Emperor Franz Joseph I, who went on to inaugurate Prague’s Bridge of Legions.

Strangely, given the political situation in those days, the Emperor used to walk around in public, and used to stroll along the old walls around the town for exercise every afternoon. The attempted murder took place right at the site where the church stands today. He was attacked by a deranged Hungarian tailor, János Libényi, who plunged a long knife into the Emperor’s neck. The blade was deflected by the gold embroidery on the Imperial collar and this may have been what saved the Emperor’s life.

There was no specific reason for the attack and the attempted murder – the tailor was just certifiably mad.

When you walk around the churchyard and the park now, you can only wonder how many other attacks and deaths must have occurred here but the serenity of the location hide all this perfectly well.

The church is open to visitors when not in use for religious services and the brightly coloured, large, stained glass windows illuminate the interior and the neo-gothic designs used as well as one could wish for. As you walk around the inside of the building, you will notice a damp chill envelope you; this is the cooling effect of using soft sandstone as a building material. In fact, the church is constantly under renovation because of the sandstone; the exterior requires continuous cleaning to tackle the effects of pollution and the side effect of rain and moisture in the air.

Step back out into the sunlight – it is amazing to think of someone wanting to build a huge church to commemorate the miracle of a life being saved; but what would you want to remember that your brother or sister didn’t die one fine afternoon?