Stadtpfarrkirche St. Nikolaus

Stadtpfarrkirche St. Nikolaus, or the Parish Church of St. Nicholas, is the Roman Catholic parish church of the Diocese of Linz in Bad Ischl, a spa town in Upper Austria. The parish is part of the Bad Ischl Deanery, which covers the Salzkammergut region. The church was built in the 18th century and renovated in the 19th century, and it features a classicist façade, a Gothic tower, and a rich interior with frescoes, paintings, and mosaics.

History and Architecture

The church was originally a small Gothic chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, merchants, and children. The chapel was built in the 14th century and belonged to the salt miners of the area. In 1769, Empress Maria Theresa, who often visited Bad Ischl for its healing waters, decided to enlarge and beautify the chapel as a gift to the town. She commissioned the architect Johann Haslinger to design a new church in the classicist style, which was popular at the time. The construction was completed in 1774, and the church was consecrated by Bishop Ernest Johann Nepomuk of Passau.

The Bad Ischl town parish church has the following dimensions: total length 52 metres, breadth 22 metres, dome height 20 metres, capacity for 3,000 people, tower height 72 metres. The church’s façade exemplifies a straightforward type of classicism, with a triangular pediment, a round window, and four pilasters. The year “1769” is inscribed on the statue of the church patron on the outer wall. The massive black double-headed eagle and the Latin inscription above the main gateway (translated into German: “From the piety and generosity of the empress”) indicate Empress Maria Theresa as the principal benefactor.

The church is divided into four bays by four vault belts that rest on enormous pillars. The organ gallery is located in the first bay, near the main entrance. A belt arch separates the sanctuary from the nave, and it closes in a semicircle. The spacious, four-bay nave is barrel-vaulted, and the single-bay choir is 3/8 closed. A twisted octagonal pointed helmet adorns the Gothic tower at the southern choir corner. The tower, which dates back to the 15th century, is the only remnant of the original chapel. It houses a carillon of 12 bells, which play melodies every quarter hour.

Interior and Artworks

The interior of the church is decorated with frescoes, paintings, and mosaics that depict various scenes from the Bible and the lives of saints. Georg Mader, a church painter, worked on the frescoes from 1874 until his death in 1881. When he died, a few features remained unfinished; they were completed in 1882 by Albert von Felsenburg and Franz Rubensteiner. Joseph Thurner created the decorations between the pictures. The pictures are typical of the 19th century and can be attributed to Nazarene painting, a movement that aimed to revive the spirituality and simplicity of early Christian art.

The images in the church are coordinated to form a theological program. The first yoke (above the music gallery) depicts portraits of Old Covenant prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The topic of the second yoke is trust, and it shows scenes of Abraham’s sacrifice, Moses’ crossing of the Red Sea, and David’s victory over Goliath. The third yoke is about hope, and it illustrates the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Resurrection. The fourth yoke is about love, and it portrays the Sermon on the Mount, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. In addition to Scriptural and saintly anecdotes, there are six episodes from St. Nicholas’ life depicted, such as his birth, his ordination, his miracles, and his death. Georg Mader’s final piece was a big painting of communion, which covers the entire ceiling of the choir. There are also images of the four evangelists and portrayals of the sacraments in live figures in the sanctuary. The ailing Archduke Franz Carl receives the sacrament in the photo, with his son Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth behind him. The imperial family was closely connected to the church and often attended mass there.

Three glass mosaics representing the Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael may be seen behind the high altar. The mosaics were made in Venice and installed in 1897. The painting above the high altar is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and it shows him blessing the town of Bad Ischl and the salt mines. Archduke Ludwig commissioned the painting in 1850, and it was executed by Leopold Kupelwieser, a prominent Austrian painter and friend of Franz Schubert. Archduke Ludwig also commissioned the painting on the left side altar (Trinity Altar) in 1851, which depicts the Holy Trinity surrounded by angels and saints. Archduke Franz Carl sponsored the painting on the right side altar (Marienaltar) in 1854, which shows the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus and St. Joseph. Leopold Kupelwieser created all three paintings, which are considered his masterpieces.

On September 16, 1878, work began on the new high altar, which was designed by architect Michel. The white sandstone comes from Hungary, while the canteen is built of marble from the remnants of the Wildenstein castle near Ischl. Duke Philipp la Notiere Ferrari is claimed to have contributed much to the exquisite tabernacle, which is adorned with gold, silver, and precious stones. A goldsmith from Ischl provided the two silver tabernacle doors, which depict the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi. The white panels on the high altar are made of Egyptian marble and were a gift from Archduke Ludwig Viktor of Austria, the youngest imperial brother. The material for the Ischl Church and the Vienna Votive Church came from the same big Egyptian block.

In 1895, Meran artist Sebastian Steiner sculpted the Stations of the Cross within the chapel. The stations are made of wood and painted in natural colors. They depict the Passion of Christ in a realistic and expressive way. Three outstanding preachers are honored with commemorative plaques in the church: Johann Michael Sailer, who preached in the church in 1784; Anton Martin Slomšek, who preached in the church in 1846; and Franz Xaver Wernz, who preached in the church in 1897.

Bad Ischl, Austria