Bad Mitterndorf Parish Church

The Bad Mitterndorf Roman Catholic parish church is raised above the town center of the municipality of Bad Mitterndorf in the district of Liezen in Styria.It is dedicated to St. Margareta and constitutes the Hinterberg parish association in the Oberes Ennstal – Styrian Salzkammergut deanery, together with the parishes of Kumitz and Tauplitz.

In 1335, the church was mentioned in a document for the first time.The church was included into the Chorherrenstift in Wiener Neustadt around 1420.It was given to the Order of St. George at Millstatt am See in 1491.The church was subservient to the Jesuit College Graz between 1577 until 1773.The late Gothic nave was erected in the middle of the 14th century, while the chancel and vault were completed in the 15th.The church was refurbished in 1951.

The choir is high, with a 3/8 finish.A net rib vault is seen above.The chancel end features two-lane tracery windows.A pointed arched triumphal arch separates the nave from the choir.It is roughly the same width as the chancel but somewhat lower in height.Semicircular services are located on the wall pillars throughout the two and a half bay nave.An uneven and wide-meshed ribbed vault rises over the nave.In 1969, the pointed-arch south gateway in Gothic style was discovered.The three-axis west gallery is Gothic as well.The ribs on the bottom have been eliminated.The parapet was introduced much more recently.The sacristy is located north of the chancel.A little chapel is linked to the nave just east of this.Both chambers are accessible via Gothic sacristy doors with iron fittings.The three-story Gothic church tower with a pointed helmet stands to the west of the nave.

Johann Fortschegger, a sculptor and painter, designed the magnificent furniture.The 1771 high altar had a free-standing tabernacle.The altarpiece depicting the Assumption of the Virgin is flanked by gilded sculptures of Saints Rupert and Virgil.The “Beheading of Saint Barbara” is shown on the altarpiece of the Barbara altar from 1782.The painting was made at the same time as the altar by Martin Johann Schmidt (“Kremser Schmidt”).A restoration was completed in 1952.Around 1770, the Marian altar was built.The excellent center statue depicts “Maria with the Child.”It is flanked by St. John Nepomuk and St. Aloisius sculptures.The Anne altar from 1783 may be seen in the chapel north of the nave.St. Joseph with a green staff and St. Joachim are shown on this.The pulpit has gilded figurines of the four evangelists and a relief of the “sower” dating from 1800.There are two candlestick angels in the choir that might have been fashioned by Fortschegger.A late Gothic processional cross from the early 16th century may be seen in the nave.Three baroque paintings stand in the church: one depicts St. Margaretha and belongs from the second quarter of the 18th century, another depicts St. Francis of Paola, and the third, a Missinsbild from 1747 depicts the Most Holy Trinity.The first two paintings are still on display at the Anna church today.There is also a red marble dodecagonal late Gothic baptismal font.A group of figures portraying Christ’s baptism is depicted on the lid.Fortschegger’s group of figures was made around the close of the 18th century.The gallery has the remnants of the ancient church pews from 1700. The red marble gravestone of Johann David Betscher (1692) is highly noteworthy.

Martin Feltl cast the bell in 1755. A baroque crucifix, perhaps created by Fortschegger, stands in front of the church.It was created around the year 1800.