Nikolauskirche

Bad Gastein, Salzburg

This 15th-century church is considered a gem of the Bad Gastein cultural region. Particularly noteworthy are its well-preserved late Gothic frescoes and the awe-inspiring Baroque altar. It also houses the oldest stone pulpit in the Salzburg Land. Construction history and architecture On the northern edge of the village, on a hillside along the old road, stands the filial church of St. Nikolaus. Its construction date is recorded as 1389. The patronage of St. Nikolaus suggests that the church was once a guild church. Architecturally, it is an example of a single-aisle space. Wall paintings Unique in the church are the large-scale wall paintings, mostly from the second half of the 15th century, attributed to the unknown "Master of Schöder." These paintings, overpainted during the Baroque period, were rediscovered in 1893 (nave) and 1950-1952 (choir). The panels in the northeast corner of the church depict the suffering and resurrection of Christ up to his ascension. The image on the north wall in the choir shows the manna miracle (Ex 16), near the high altar and the sacrament niche. Next to it is an ornamental field with the inscription "Sancta Maria ora pro nobis." The upper part depicts the Madonna of the protective mantle, below which is a group of three saints, with St. Sebastian, the patron of the plague, in the center, flanked by the apostles Peter and Paul. On the opposite wall are scenes from the life of St. Nicholas. The depiction in the southeast corner of the lay space shows the Last Judgment. The Tree of Jesse, dated 1517, is on the south side of the nave. The high altar The high altar structure dates from 1755, created by artists whose names are not known. The central altar picture shows the church patron, St. Nicholas, with the three grateful maidens and their father. To the left and right are statues of St. Martin (with goose) and St. Ulrich (with fish). The upper image of the altar shows the Assumption or Coronation of Mary in heaven. The pulpit The late Gothic prismatic stone pulpit is located on the choir steps and attached to the south wall. It is the oldest of its kind in the Salzburg region. Two of its three sides feature blind tracery. The end face is decorated with the red marble gravestone of Jörg Framinger the Elder. Side altars The two side altars originally stood on the triumphal arch wall but were moved in 1951 to the center of the north and south walls to make the frescoes visible. They are identical in structure. The older altar on the right, dedicated to St. Sebastian, was donated in 1652 by the widowed innkeeper Katharina Hofer of Mitterbad. The painting, depicting St. Sebastian tied to a tree, is very likely by Georg Haim, and the altar structure by carpenter Michael Pruest (similar to the side altars in the parish church of Dorfgastein). The left altar was donated in 1659 by the Mining Brotherhood in honor of the suffering and death of Christ (the inscription on the predella is flanked by kneeling miners in work attire). The altar picture shows the crucifixion of Jesus with Mary and John under the cross. Statues The crucifixion group on the triumphal arch dates from the 18th century. While the cross hangs in the arch, Mary and John stand in the side canopies of the arch. In the choir, there are two modern statues of St. Isidore and St. Notburga, created by Jakob Adlhart around 1954. Noteworthy on the south wall is a figurative Baroque depiction of the Immaculate Conception and Mother of God from the first half of the 18th century, a Pietà from the mid-17th century, and several epitaphs of notable citizens of Bad Gastein. Until 1890, St. Nikolaus served as a cemetery church. In 1945, this tradition was resumed with the installation of soldiers' graves. Visiting hours are daily in summer from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m.