Parish church Ravelsbach
The Roman Catholic parish church of Ravelsbach stands free on the south side of the main square in the village of Ravelsbach in the market town of Ravelsbach in the Hollabrunn district in Lower Austria . The church, consecrated to the Assumption of Mary , belongs to the dean's office Sitzendorf in the vicariate Unter dem Manhartsberg of the Archdiocese of Vienna . The church building is a listed building .
Parish history
The Ravelsbach parish is the mother parish of the western Weinviertel . Around the year 1100 reports are made of the construction of a Romanesque church by the Counts of Burghausen-Schala on the site of today's parish church, the appearance of which has not been passed down.
The parish Ramoultispach was by Leopold III. founded in 1110. On September 28 of the same year the church was consecrated by Bishop Ulrich I of Passau .
In 1113 the parish came to Melk Abbey in exchange with Klosterneuburg Abbey . At that time 32 villages belonged to the Ravelsbach parish. Chonradus decanus de Ramuolspach is the first priest mentioned in a document (1189) and the first mention of a courtyard around the church of Ramelspach comes from the year 1282 .
A papal bull from 1348 finally decreed the permanent union of the parish with Melk, whereby it was incorporated into the Melk Abbey .
The Reformation also had an impact on parish life, for example, it is reported that in 1619 the church and the rectory were looted by rebellious Lutheran estates .
Between 1626 and 1651, Johann Thoma, the last secular priest, was active in the Ravelsbach parish. In the last year of his activity he began to make entries in the oldest still existing baptism, marriage and death registers . From then on, the pastors have been recruited in an uninterrupted row from the membership of Melk Abbey. The first father from Melk was Balthasar Schlegl (Schlögl) from 1651 to 1655, from 1986 to 2018 Father Christian Blauensteiner held this office and on September 1, 2018 he was succeeded by Father Edmund Tanzer OCist .
From 1657 to 1963 the pastors of Ravelsbach were also administrators of the property, the administration of which has been the responsibility of the administrator of the Wullersdorf monastery since January 1st, 1964 .
In the years 1660 to 1667, the current building was probably built in place of the original rectory.
To finance the French wars, the silver had to be delivered from the church in 1792; in 1917 it was the two large bells that had to be delivered for the production of war material for the First World War . They were replaced by three new bells in 1925, which could be acquired through a collection. As early as 1942, with the exception of the smallest, the bells were confiscated as metal donations from the German people and melted down to produce war material for the Second World War .
In 1971 there was a visit and confirmation by the then Archbishop of Vienna , Franz Cardinal König .
In 1987, planning work began to transform the rectory into a parish center, which was implemented between 1988 and 1993.
Building history
The state of construction of the church, which dates from around 1100, had become so desolate that the abbot of Melk Abbey, Berthold Dietmayr , decided to have a new church built in Ravelsbach. It was built in the years 1721 to 1726 according to the plans and under the direction of Jakob Prandtauer based on the model of the Melker collegiate church by the master bricklayer Leopold Stieböck, whereby the 50 meter high tower, which still comes from the old church, dominates the facade was integrated.
The church is 40 meters long and 21 meters wide in the transept. The height of the nave is 19 meters, that of the choir 16 meters. Since the structure is located in a former swamp area, it stands on 12,000 pilots made of silver fir wood from 3 to 6 meters in length at a depth of 4.8 meters with several layers of stone slabs above. The thickness of the main walls is 1.1 meters. 964,150 different bricks were used, the production costs are recorded as 27,904 guilders .
In the course of the new church construction, the cemetery originally located around the church was moved to the southern edge of the village. Numerous late baroque tombstones from the original cemetery were set into the cemetery wall of the new cemetery. The baroque cemetery chapel was built in 1725/1726. In 1786 a major fire occurred in Ravelsbach, which also destroyed the church tower with its six bells . The following year the tower received only a low, pyramidal cover and three new bells were cast from the molten ore of the old bells. The old cemetery wall was demolished in the course of a church renovation in 1790, and the ringing was extended to a total of five bells in 1797 through a donation.
In 1903 the church was renovated and the tower got the original onion roof again . Since then, the church has had its current appearance as a uniformly baroque basilica gallery church with a partly Gothic west tower. The following year the park was laid out behind the church and in 1935 the church was fitted with electric lighting. In 1942 the organ built by Gottfried Sonnholz was fitted with an electric fan.
In 1949 four new bells were purchased and consecrated, and in 1957 they were equipped with an electric bell.
After the church was renovated and restored several times during its existence - namely in the years 1790, 1843 to 1848, 1897. 1903, 1947, 1992 and 1971/72 - planning work began in 1988 for the most recent general church renovation. This had become necessary because incorrect methods and the use of incorrect materials in the previous renovations threatened to endanger the building stock. The St. Pölten master builder Johann Kräftner suggested that the work be carried out according to a system that had been successfully tested in Melk Abbey , which began in 1990.
At the beginning of the excavations, the foundations of the Romanesque and Gothic church complexes were found and a grave and two well-preserved grave slabs were uncovered. Air conditioning ensures automatic ventilation, low humidity and constant temperature. The entire nave was made of Solnhofen limestone slabs , only in the choir area is the paving from around 1900 preserved.
In 1991 the tower and the outer facade were renovated and the sacristy was refurbished. The room to the left of the choir was redesigned into a chapel ( Josefskapelle ), which is used as a weekday chapel and which was inaugurated in 1992 by the prior of Melk Abbey, Father Bruno Brandstetter. In the same year the entire exterior renovation of the building, the new gilding of the tower cross, the renovation of the roof and the renewal of the dials and the clock system took place. Since then, the bell and clockwork have been electronically controlled.
In 1993 the church received a new popular altar and a new ambo and the renovation and restoration work was completed with the refurbishment of the organ, the restoration of the statue of Mary in front of the church and small work inside.
The train bell (death bell), the smallest bell from 1798, was electrified in 2000 and has been rung again since then to ring out a death.
Building description
The building is a uniform, baroque, basilica gallery church with transverse arms and a west tower, which is essentially Gothic.
Outside
The mighty 50-meter-high west tower is the oldest part of the church. The tower facade is stepped backwards with beveled and rounded corners by lowering, stepping back side wings with depth and height. The tower with cornice and plasterboard has slotted windows in the Gothic core, shoulder-arched windows in the Baroque tower and round-arched windows in the upper floor. The onion helmet from 1903 rises above the clock gables with a lantern , tower ball and a gilded crowning patriarchal cross .
The subordinate side axes of the tower have lateral, arched pilaster portals with segmented gable coronations and vase attachments. These side axes via the final, outer volute approaches and inner attic floors as well as the gable approaches of the nave are connected to the tower to create a spatial facade effect.
The basilica nave with buttress supports is separated from the choir on the upper aisle by cross arms at the height of the central nave. The semicircular closed choir is the same height as the nave. The staggered structure of the facade is continued by two-storey sacristy and oratory extensions on both sides of the choir.
Inside
The church consists of a spacious main nave, narrow side aisles and a wide transept . The barrel-vaulted main nave is divided into three bays in the western part by belt arches . Each yoke has a segmental arch window in the upper aisle on both sides. To the east there is another, much deeper yoke that opens up to the barrel-vaulted cross arms, which are almost equally high. Above the side aisles, which receive their light from six segmented arched windows, there are side galleries with transverse barrel vaults and balustrades . Side windows provide exposure to the transept.
The organ gallery in the western yoke creates a bridge-like connection between the side galleries on three segment-arched pillar arcades , which is vaulted under a central barrel and lateral groin vaults on pillar templates. The balustrade in the middle section with the organ's integrated Rückpositiv is raised and swinging forward.
Below the organ gallery is the entrance to a confessional chapel in the tower base. In the side axes of the tower are the groin and barrel vaulted vestibules with spiral staircases to the galleries.
The groin vaulted choir square is opened to the main nave by a drawn-in triumphal arch with a composite capital and bandwork from the construction period. In the apex of the triumphal arch there is a stucco cartouche with the coat of arms of Melk Abbey, underneath the inscription BETE UND ARBEITE . In the vault of the choir there are picture medallions of the four evangelists with their symbols from around 1950 with banners. At the intersection of the ornate arch ribs is another medallion with three angel heads.
In the middle of the choir square on the side walls are the entrances to the north-facing St. Joseph's Chapel and the sacristy to the south. Spiral stairs lead from these rooms to the oratorios above with three-axis oratorio windows with carved parapets. The semicircular apse has a lancet vault .
Furnishing
Altars
In addition to the high altar, the church also has four side altars. The two small side altars at the triumphal arch from the years 1726 to 1728 and the two large in the cross arms from the years 1751 to 1756 are prospectus way staggered, the altarpiece are gilded with Bandlwerk provided.
High altar
The baroque high altar represents the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and was consecrated in 1783 by the abbot of Melk Abbey . The relics of several martyrs are enclosed in the altar stone . An unusual depiction of the Trinity is on the upper edge of the altar: next to God the Father and the Holy Spirit , instead of the Son of God, there is an angel with a large cross in his hands. Below is a baroque figure of Our Lady . The altar is decorated with numerous putti and angel figures.
There are two statues on either side of the altar. On the left, on the outside, St. Leopold is depicted as Margrave of Austria with a model of a church and a flag , next to him St. Benedict with a poison cup. On the right side of the altar follows the statue of St. Scholastica , the sister of St. Benedict, and outside the statue of St. Koloman with a pilgrim's staff and a pilgrim's bottle.
Small side altars
The statues on the altars are by Leopold Fischer from Vienna , the altar leaves by Mathias Mölk.
In the altarpiece of the left altar ( Sebastian Altar ), Saint Sebastian with the Trinity is the main figure. Saint Roch and Saint Rosalia are depicted as assistant figures . The altar is flanked by statues of St. Joseph with the baby Jesus (left) and St. Francis of Assisi (right).
Under a group of angels in the altarpiece of the right altar ( Katharinen or Florian altar ), St. Catherine is depicted with several assistant figures. The altar is flanked by statues of St. Florian with a golden stalk, flag and bucket (left) and St. Bonaventure , who holds a monstrance in both hands .
Large side altars
Troger pupil Josef Grebm (n) he created the altar leaves, the four statues are by an unknown sculptor from Eggenburg .
In the altarpiece of the left altar ( Herz-Jesu- or Johannes altar ), St. John Nepomuk is shown floating on the waves of the Vltava in the midst of several assistance figures, in which he was drowned on March 20, 1393 and died a martyr's death. The statues of John the Baptist with the cross staff (left) and John the Evangelist with the golden gospel in hand (right) flank the altar.
In the altarpiece of the right altar ( peasant , Marien or cross altar ), the saints Wendelin , Leonhard , Notburga and Aelius Donatus are depicted next to Pope Urban I. The altar is flanked by statues of Saints John and Paul . On the left John is shown with a golden bay leaf and on the right Paul with a golden sword.
organ
The organ was built in 1740 by Gottfried Sonnholz (er) and expanded in 1848 by a parapet positive by Franz Ullmann. Gregor Hradetzky ( Krems ) overhauled the instrument in 1981. It has twelve registers , which are divided into two manuals for the main work , the balustrade and the pedal . The splendid five-axis prospectus from Sonnholz has been preserved in the style of the high baroque, which is decorated with a gilded veil , profiled cornices and crowning figures. The small central tower is flanked by two mighty pipe towers and connected to them by narrow flat fields. In contrast, the three-axis, flat Rückpositiv , which was added later, has a simpler design. The organ has the following disposition :
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Bells
The church has five bells: The smallest bell has the company Fielgrader & Hofbauer Comp. Cast in 1787 and used as a slide bell. The remaining four bells were purchased from the Bell Foundry in Pfundner in 1949 .
| No. | Surname | Nominal |
Weight (kg) |
Diameter (cm) |
Casting year | Caster |
| 1 | Hero's bell, twelve bell | it | 1286 | 1949 | Pfundner | |
| 2 | 911 bell | G | 609 | 1949 | Pfundner | |
| 3 | Transformation bell | b | 361 | 1949 | Pfundner | |
| 4th | Bell of youth | c | 246 | 1949 | Pfundner | |
| 5 | Train bell | 1787 | Fielgrader & Hofbauer Comp. |
The belfry dates from the 18th century and has four fields. The four large bells hang on the original steel yokes and have flat-ball clappers .
Other equipment
In the choir there are two oil paintings by an unknown painter from the 18th century. Above the entrance to the Joseph Chapel, the image of St. Gertrude and above the entrance to the sacristy that of St. Walburga .
The inlaid choir stalls and the church stalls were created by Matthias Niedermayr around 1725. The two confessionals date from around 1730 . A late Gothic decagonal font made of red-spotted marble , which was created around 1500, has been preserved from the medieval furnishings of the previous building . He has an essay Baptism of Christ from the second quarter of the 18th century.
The pulpit from the end of the 17th century was also taken over from the previous building. On the polygonal spiral column basket it bears statuettes of St. Paul and the four evangelists with their evangelist symbols and on the sound cover with volute canopy a central statue of Christ surrounded by the four church fathers Gregorius , Augustine , Hieronymus and Ambrosius as well as a fifth figure, presumably a Benedictine .
The former high altar painting of Maria with the child by Johann Nepomuk Höfel dates from 1840 and is now located above the entrance to the confessional chapel under the west gallery on the tower base. The Stations of the Cross were also created around this time.
literature
- Dehio Lower Austria north of the Danube 1990 , Ravelsbach, pages 949f.
- Church guide published by the Ravelsbach rectory, Gottfried Rennhofer Verlag, Korneuburg 2001
- The parish church "Mariae Himmelfahrt" in Ravelsbach in Lower Austria by Hugo Strauch
- Ravelsbacher Heimatbuch Part 1 and 2 by Rudolf Matzke, Part 3 by Wolfgang Polster
- 900 years of Ravelsbach Festschrift of the market town of Ravelsbach
See also
List of listed objects in Ravelsbach
Web links
- Parish church Ravelsbach on the website of the Archdiocese of Vienna
- Jakob-Prandtauer-Kirche in Ravelsbach from Bergfex.at accessed on December 14, 2012
- Website of the Ravelsbach parish accessed on December 14, 2012
- Jakob Prandtauer Church in the Weinviertel region portal
- Bells of the parish church Ravelsbach accessed on YouTube on December 14, 2012
Individual evidence
- ↑ Church leaders p. 2/3
- ↑ Church guide p. 5
- ^ Dehio p. 949
- ↑ Church guide p. 4
- ^ Dehio p. 950
- ↑ Church guide p. 9
- ↑ Church guide p. 10
- ^ Austrian organ database accessed on November 23, 2012
- ^ Bells of the parish church Ravelsbach accessed on YouTube on January 2, 2013
- ^ Dehio, p. 950
- ↑ Church guide p. 13
Coordinates: 48 ° 33 '4.4 " N , 15 ° 51' 1.3" E