Future of the Religious Campus in Aspern: Start of construction still uncertain!

Future of the Religious Campus in Aspern: Start of construction still uncertain!

In the Danube city, the future of the Campus of Religions (CdR) in Aspern remains uncertain. The plan is to create a place that would bring different religious communities together, but the original schedule for construction to start in 2023 has long since been thrown out. How meinkreis.at reported, the project, which was initiated by Harald Gnilsen in 2011, was not implemented due to changing requirements, the corona pandemic and economic factors. While the religious communities are already visible with their flags on the site, the final completion of the campus remains an open chapter.

Cult spaces such as sacred spaces, temples and mosques are planned, but there is no fixed date or period for the implementation of the project. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) supports the initiative and continues to see Seestadt as an ideal location for the campus. However, it is unclear whether it will actually be built at the original location or somewhere else in Seestadt.

Diversity of religious communities

Nine religious communities are involved in the project, including:

• Römisch-katholische Kirche/Erzdiözese Wien
• Evangelische Superintendentur A.B. Wien
• Neuapostolische Kirche in Wien
• Griechisch-Orthodoxe Kirche in Wien
• Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (IKG) Wien
• Islamische Glaubensgemeinschaft in Österreich (IGGÖ)
• Buddhistische Religionsgemeinschaft in Österreich
• Sikhs-Glaubensgemeinschaft in Österreich
• Hinduistische Religionsgesellschaft in Österreich

These communities are already showing friendly solidarity, even if construction is still a long time coming. The design of the campus is still a development process that obviously still needs a lot of planning.

Background and challenges

The postponements of the project raise questions, for example regarding financing. Details are currently not known, which increases the uncertainty surrounding the CdR. The original connection to the Church Pedagogical University (KPH) could not be realized, which certainly contributed to the delay. The lack of clear information about construction progress leaves residents and interested parties uncertain.

As far as the health aspects of future visitors are concerned, it is important to mention that issues such as high blood pressure are becoming increasingly important among the population. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a serious health risk that requires preventive measures. It is measured in different categories and should be checked at least every two years mayoclinic.org highlights.

While the campus is still waiting to be realized, it is hoped that the communities involved and the city will soon take concrete steps to bring this forward-looking idea to life.