Filialkirche St. Nikola

The St Nicholas branch church dates back to the 12th/13th century and was originally built in the Gothic style. Due to its location - right on the former border between Austria and Bavaria - the church has a very eventful and sometimes turbulent history. During the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War, Emperor Ferdinand II pledged the Land ob der Enns to his ally Maximilian I of Bavaria as war reparations in 1620. When he marched in with his troops on 3 July 1620, the peasants resisted and rang the bells of St. Nikola. As a result, the Bavarian troops - along with 118 other buildings - completely destroyed the church, leaving only the foundation walls standing. St Nikola's remained a ruin for decades. It was not until 1701, after "the little church had been completely ruined by the storm and had become a pile of stones", that the parish priest Dr Philipp Heinrich began to rebuild it, although the Ordinariate in Passau refused his request for a loan of 500 to 600 guilders. However, thanks to the help and generosity of the local population, the church was able to be reconsecrated in 1702. However, it was built six metres shorter and ridge turrets were used instead of the tower. In 1799, major maintenance work was required on the building and in 1862, the church was completely restored at a cost of 1,400 guilders, which was again largely raised by the population. Father Lengauer, who was a great patron of St Nikola's, donated a considerable 300 guilders. Further renovation work was carried out in 1889 and 1906. With the two world wars and the general reconstruction, the branch church seemed to have been forgotten and left to slowly but surely decay. However, as in the past, friends and patrons were found who, together with parish priest Msgr Johann Kaltseis, breathed new life into the church. In 1973, a working committee was founded to take over the restoration of the little church. Once again, the population took on a significant part of the work and by 1979 St Nikola's had been completely renovated. The costs totalled 1.2 million schillings. The church has a single nave and three bays, with the bay towards the west being widened. The high altar was created around 1700, the altarpiece of St Nicholas from 1862 was painted by Franz Straußenberger from Ried im Innkreis. The altarpiece is framed by St Wolfgang and Mary Magdalene with St Severin. St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist are depicted on the centrepiece and St Peter and St Paul on the two side doors. The stucco frame dates from around 1600, the pulpit from 1700 and the Stations of the Cross from 1845. In front of the church is a massive block of quartzite conglomerate - known here as the "Wildlingstein" or "Limberiga Wüdling" (derived from the Limberg). It is said that the stone once served as an eye well.