Harmannstein branch church

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Filial church hl. John the Baptist in Harmannstein

The Roman Catholic branch church Harmannstein , also known as Johannesbergkirche , is a former castle chapel in the cadastral parish of the same name in the market town of Großschönau in the Gmünd district in Lower Austria . The branch church of the parish Großschönau is consecrated to Saint John the Baptist and belongs to the deanery of Gmünd in the diocese of St. Pölten . The sacred building as well as the excavation remains of Harmannstein Castle are under monument protection ( list entry ).

Location description

The church in the west of the cadastral community Harmannstein stands on the densely wooded top of the Johannisberg and thus directly on the European main watershed at 839  m above sea level. A.

history

Copper engraving by Georg Matthäus Vischer from 1629 - Castle "ENGELSTAIN" (Engelstein) the little church "S.JOHANNS AM PERG"

Today's church stands on the site of the castle chapel of the former Harmannstein Hadmar II. Von Kuenring castle ("novum castrum Hadmarstain"), which was probably built between 1150 and 1160 and was first mentioned in 1162. At the beginning of the 13th century, the castle lost its importance. The Kuenringer moved their seat from "Hadmarstain" to Weitra , a fortified city. The Johanneskapelle was probably no longer used as early as 1319 and was transferred or sold to the Zwettl monastery . The first church building is mentioned for the first time in 1381, at that time it was a branch of the parish Großschönau. With the plan to make the church a parish church, the church was rebuilt in the middle of the 15th century. After the destruction during the Hussite storm in the 1430s, the church was rededicated in 1452. In 1663 there was a structural change. In 1956 the building was restored.

architecture

inside view
Church exterior

The church is a late Gothic building with a baroque nave and a roof turret . In the northwest, remains of the castle ramparts and the moat have been preserved. The core of the choir dates from the 14th century. It closes in a 5/8 closure and was built using substructures that protrude over the natural edge of the Johannesberg. The buttresses are stepped. The choir has three two-lane tracery windows in the east and south . A sacristy annex adjoins the choir on the north side . The nave is simple and dates from the 15th century. The portals to the nave are baroque, the southern portal Gothic.

Church interior

The church has a Gothic choir with a five-eighth closing. Above the choir yoke is a ribbed vault from the second half of the 15th century. This rests on round-robin services that run up to the coffin cornice . On the north side, one reaches the sacristy through a shoulder arch portal. In the choir there is a seating niche and a rectangular, barbed sacrament niche with a lattice door from the second half of the 15th century. The sacramental niche is continued upwards in a painted form. The nave is simple. Above it is a flat baroque wooden ceiling. A retracted, grooved triumphal arch separates the choir from the nave. Late Gothic fresco remains from the end of the 15th century can be seen in the chancel. These represent the “ Heavenly Jerusalem of the Apocalypse ” and Christophorus , the “Christ the Bearer ” . He is threatened by a red scorpion . Behind the Christophorus is a representation of the little church at the time it was built. In the frescoes, the church is surrounded by a roofed wall with a gate. The frescoes were exposed during the restoration in 1957. The west gallery is made of wood.

Furnishing

The high altar was probably created in 1727 by a carpenter from Groß-Gerungs . In the center shrine, a stage-like, rustic group of figures depicts the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The scene is flanked by clouds and two large kneeling angels. In the excerpt, God the Father is shown in a cloud glory.

The southern side altar dates from between 1660 and 1670 and is dedicated to all saints. The north side altar from around 1700 is consecrated to Our Lady. The original Gothic Madonna from around 1400 was transferred to the chapel of the St. Hippolytus Education House in 1961 and replaced by a copy. Both side altars were changed in a classical style around 1800 and provided with tabernacles .

literature

Web links

Commons : Johanneskirche, Harmannstein  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Großschönau community news, episode 146, December 2017 ( online )
  2. ^ Lower Austria - immovable and archaeological monuments under monument protection. (PDF), ( CSV ). Federal Monuments Office , status: 23 January 2019.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Johannesbergkirche on zwalk.at
  4. ↑ a b c d e f DEHIO manual. The art monuments of Austria: Lower Austria. North of the Danube. Harmannstein. Filial church hl. Johannes d. T. Bundesdenkmalamt (Ed.), Verlag Anton Schroll & Co, Vienna 1990, ISBN 3-7031-0585-2 , p. 396.
  5. ↑ Gottfried Auer, Franz Moser, Hildegard Wesp, Marcus Hufnagl: Bildungshaus St. Hippolyt. History and art. Brochure, Bildungshaus St. Hippolyt, St. Pölten 2017, 34 pages.

Coordinates: 48 ° 38 '36.6 "  N , 14 ° 53' 40.9"  E