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The Catholic Church – Part 1

A treasury opens up

Highlights 3 and 4 of our Hallstatt tour are dedicated to the Catholic Church. First go back to the market square and turn right up the small alley behind Café Derbl. You will reach the covered steps which will take you directly to the Catholic Church. The covered steps are a roofed access which has protected church visitors from rain, snow and falling rocks for centuries.

It is likely that there is already a small Romanesque church in Hallstatt at the beginning of the 12th century. The tower of today’s church, which sits on a rock above Hallstatt, is most likely to be a remnant of this first chapel.

In 1302 Bishop Hermann of Passau consecrates a second, larger Romanesque church. The development of the Catholic Church into its present form and size takes place during the Gothic period over 200 years later. Single elements like the Baroque spire on the tower are added more recently and most date back to the 18th century.

No expense is spared on the furnishings on the inside of the church either. Its gem is the Gothic winged altarpiece by Leonhard Astl, which is one of the few surviving carved, wooden altarpieces in Austria and one of the most significant.

Enter the Catholic Church now and discover exciting facts about its interior at the 4 points of interest from Highlight 3. Afterwards, continue your tour. Highlight 4, “The Catholic Church – Part 2”, deals with the exterior of the church.

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