Churches and Cathedrals In Villach
Parish church of St. Jakob
The primary Roman Catholic parish church in Villach is dedicated to St. James, characterized by its wide late-Gothic hall structure with a commanding west tower situated at the end of the town’s main plaza. The church’s history includes several architectural modifications and additions following seismic events and through different periods.
Originally, the tower’s Romanesque substructure was constructed after the earthquake of 1348, with subsequent repairs and enhancements over the centuries. The tower stands as the tallest in Carinthia, offering a viewing platform to visitors during the summer season, accessible via 239 steps and featuring a unique traffic light system regulating access to higher levels.
Connecting to the nave since the 17th century, the tower is part of a transverse vestibule. The church also hosts various artworks and memorials, such as a war memorial by Karl Maria Kerndle and a crucifix dating back to the 17th century.
The nave’s exterior displays a simple façade with round niches and pointed arched windows, adorned with sculptures and inscriptions. Stepped buttresses support the walls, featuring coats of arms and sculptures like St. Barbara by Josef Kassin.
Inside, the church boasts a three-nave, six-bay hall structure supported by pillars and adorned with elaborate vaulting, stucco work, and frescoes. The chancel and choir area are elevated, featuring lancet windows, chapels, and sacristies. Notable artworks include a fresco of St. Christopher and a Gothic sacrament house.
Throughout the church, various historical and artistic elements showcase the evolution of its architecture and religious significance. From the tower’s resilience to seismic events to the intricacies of its interior decoration, Villach’s parish church stands as a testament to centuries of craftsmanship and devotion.
Franciscan Monastery of St. Nicholas
The Franciscan monastery at Villach, serving the parish of St. Nikolai in Carinthia, was established in response to a shortage of priests in 1886, with the Tyrolean Franciscan Province tasked with providing pastoral care. The monastery’s origins saw the arrival of Franciscans in 1886, leading to the reconstruction of the dilapidated Capuchin convent and its attached church, funded primarily by Salzburg secular priest Stephan Dionys Cserveny of Zabor. Despite opposition, the monastery was erected in 1888, and the cathedral’s demolition began in 1891, with completion of the church and high altar achieved by 1896 under the guidance of Franciscan Father Johannes Maria Reiter.
Subsequently, the Franciscans assumed responsibility for the parish of St. Nikolai, though the church suffered significant bomb damage in 1945, necessitating post-war reconstruction. Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, the church underwent multiple renovations, with the crypt adapted for liturgical use in 1981.
Constructed in the neo-Gothic style, the St. Nikolai monastery and parish church boasts dimensions of 48.5 meters in length, 20 meters in width, and a central nave height of 17 meters, with a tower reaching 64 meters tall.
As the church was sponsored by the Tyrolean Franciscan Province, it was furnished with contributions from various renowned Tyrolean painters, enhancing its aesthetic and cultural significance within the community.
Villach Church of the Holy Cross
The Heiligenkreuzkirche in Villach is a Roman Catholic parish and pilgrimage site situated in the Perau district along the southern bank of the Drau River. This late Baroque church is constructed in a cruciform layout, featuring a prominent thin dome atop an octagonal tambour with an octagonal lantern at the crossing. The facade comprises two three-story towers adorned with pilasters, cornices, and figural niches housing statues of various saints. Notable bells include the 1728 bell cast by Andreas Röder and the 1964 acquisition of the cross bell and Saint Peter’s bell. The towers also showcase statues of St. Benedict or Francis of Assisi, John the Baptist, St. Ulrich, St. Ferdinand of Castile, St. Helena, and Anthony of Padua.
The church’s facade includes a rectangular porch with an Ecce Homo group above the entrance, while a niche bears a figure of Christ the King crafted by Jacob Campidell in 1929. Inside, the structure consists of a crossing, transept, and choir leading to semi-circular apses. The walls feature ornate pilasters with capitals and segmental arched windows above a cranked, overhanging cornice. Notable paintings include “FP 1743” depicting the expulsion of the money changers and Fritz Fröhlich’s late Expressionist vault paintings from 1960, featuring the apocalyptic lamb and various saints.
The chancel paintings portray Christ’s Resurrection alongside angels bearing implements of pain, and St. Peter carrying an upside-down cross. Additional medallions depict water waves and fish capturing Peter’s qualities. The southern apse features Saints Rupert and Modestus, while the northern apse depicts the Assumption of the Virgin. Above the organ stands a statue of Saint Cecilia.
Overall, the Heiligenkreuzkirche is characterized by its late Baroque architecture, intricate interior decorations, and rich religious iconography, making it a significant cultural and spiritual landmark in Villach.
Evangelical Church (Kirche im Stadtpark)
The Evangelical Church situated in Villach’s municipal park, at the terminus of 10 October Street, stands out as a prominent example of historicist ecclesiastical architecture in Carinthia. Serving as the headquarters of the Evangelical Superintendency AB Carinthia and East Tyrol, its history dates back to the nineteenth century when Villach was part of the Protestant community of St. Ruprecht. Church services were initially held in the grammar school gymnasium from 1896 until Johannes Heinzelmann’s appointment as vicar in 1899, later becoming the first pastor in 1902 and supervisor in 1928. Consequently, Villach became the Vienna Superintendency seat and later the Carinthian seat starting in 1946.
Constructed between 1901 and 1903, the church is a neo-Gothic edifice designed by Ludwig Schöne, succeeding Friedrich von Schmidt. Its distinctive features include a transept with apse-like ends, a flat-ended choir, and a low sacristy. The four-story facade tower is topped with a pointed helmet, while the building’s aesthetic is highlighted by a combination of brick-red clinker brickwork and light-colored stone elements, with doubled buttresses emphasizing its structure.
Internally, the lateral bays boast eight-part hip vaults, while chapel-like extensions feature six-part hip vaults, complemented by a fan vault over the bridge. Cast iron columns support the timber gallery, with original stained glass windows likely created by Franz Janisch senior in 1903, replaced in 2000 with mirrored windows by Victor Rogy, providing reflective views of the surrounding sky and park trees.
The church’s interior maintains a neo-Gothic style, with the altarpiece depicting Jesus, possibly crafted by Aloys Poltnigg in 1903, along with a pulpit on a free-standing column by the same artist. Overall, the Evangelical Church in Villach’s municipal park stands as a testament to the architectural and religious heritage of the region, reflecting the evolution of Protestantism in Villach throughout the centuries.
Evangelical Church of St. Ruprecht
The Evangelical Church of St. Ruprecht in Villach’s St. Ruprecht area stands as an Evangelical Lutheran church building, situated west of the Roman Catholic branch church of St. Ruprecht. Its nave was initially constructed in 1785 as a place of tolerant prayer, officially dedicated in 1786, with the addition of the west tower in 1863. During the nineteenth century, the church community’s jurisdiction extended to areas including Völkendorf, Einöde, and Tiffen. However, with Villach’s independence in 1900, the municipal territory contracted.
Oskar Sakrausky, a former military superintendent, assumed the role of pastor at St. Ruprecht in 1979. Architecturally, the church features a semi-circular closed chancel and a protruding porch tower, supported by pilasters on the facade. Internally, the nave is spanned by a plain stuccoed flat roof.
A notable feature of the church is its baroque pulpit altar adorned with columns and a canopy, dating back to the latter quarter of the 18th century. This altar was acquired from the Landskron Castle Chapel in 1801, adding historical significance to the church’s interior furnishings. Overall, the Evangelical Church of St. Ruprecht contributes to the religious and architectural landscape of Villach’s St. Ruprecht area, reflecting the community’s heritage and evolution over time.
Church of St. Ulrich
The parish of Maria Landskron encompasses the branch church of St. Ulrich near Villach, with Ortisei first mentioned in historical records in 1431. Notable renovations in 1966 introduced significant modifications, blending Romanesque and Gothic features. These renovations included enlarging and extending the nave, adding a small onion helmet atop the eastern ridge turret, and relocating the late Gothic west doorway to the north side. Additionally, a new mortuary and sacristy were constructed, while the south gate was rebuilt with a canopy.
Inside, the exposed wood-clad roof truss is visible in the enlarged nave section, while the Romanesque portion features a flat wooden ceiling. The concrete organ gallery and expanded semi-circular triumphal arch from 1966 contribute to the church’s architectural elements. The single bay choir showcases a lunette barrel vault, while the cross-vaulted sacristy is accessed through a Gothic shoulder arch doorway.
Further modifications to the sanctuary occurred in 1995/96, redesigned by R. Kamnig. Of note is the tiny Gothic winged altar, likely crafted before or around 1500 by the older Villach workshop. This altar features a central statue of Saint Ulrich flanked by Saints Nicholas and Rupert on the wings’ insides, with Mary and the Angel of the Annunciation on the outside. Additionally, the church houses a baroque hanging cross from the early 18th century, once utilized as a processional cross. Presently, the old high altar of the church is housed in Vassach Church.
Parish Church of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit parish church in Villach, situated on the route to Bad Bleiberg, dates back to the Gothic period, first documented in 1449. The structure underwent various modifications over the centuries, including the addition of a pillar porch around 1830/40 and the construction of a wooden tower with a pointed gable helmet above the nave. Modest stepped buttresses support the building’s transition from the nave to the choir, with a sacristy featuring a late Gothic window located north of the nave. The church entrance is framed by a late Gothic pointed arch doorway.
Internally, the nave is covered by a flat wooden ceiling, and a late Gothic gateway leads from the north side of the nave to the sacristy. A wooden west gallery was erected around 1830/40, while an ogival triumphal arch connects the nave to the choir, flanked by side aisles. Murals dating from the second quarter of the 15th century, depicting scenes such as the Epiphany, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Last Supper, were discovered on the north wall in 1967.
The main altar, designed by Hieronymus Wirth in 1780 and painted by Johann Rudolf in 1782, features the descent of the Holy Spirit as its central panel. Side figures include sculptures of plague saints Sebastian and Rochus by Johann Mayer. Other furnishings include a 16th-century sculpture of the Mount of Olives, a rural late Baroque-style picture of the Virgin and Child, and a baptismal font from the first half of the 19th century. The organ, likely built by Alois Hörbinger around 1840, completes the church’s interior ensemble.
Maria Landskron Parish Church
The Maria Landskron Roman Catholic parish church, situated in Landskron, Carinthia within the municipality of Villach, is part of the deanery of Villach-Stadt in the diocese of Gurk-Klagenfurt. Initially seated in St. Ruprecht am Moos, the parish’s modern building was constructed between 1955 and 1969, with the parish seat relocating here in 1956.
Designed by architect Herzung and master builder Klemens Klinger, the church was completed in 1967 and consecrated the following year. In 1984, the parish underwent a name change from St. Ruprecht am Moos to Maria Landskron.
The church features a significant northern hall building constructed with a concrete frame structure, accompanied by a southwest tower. Notably, window glass crafted by Daniel Moser in 1998, characterized by a considerable reduction in form, enhances the building’s aesthetics. Of particular note is the window depicting Maria, the knot-loosing woman, which captivates with its design.
Collaborating with architect Alfons Nessmann, the sanctuary underwent development, further enriching the church’s architectural and religious significance. Additionally, statues of a 12th-century Romanesque Christ and a Gothic Archangel Michael were transferred from the St. Michael branch church, adding to the historical and cultural heritage of the Maria Landskron parish.
Parish Church of St. Leonhard
The parish church of St. Leonhard in Villach’s eponymous district has historical roots dating back to 1399. Following severe bomb damage in 1945, the late Gothic structure underwent restoration under the direction of Walter Mayr, culminating in its reconsecration in 1947. Initially a branch of St. Nikolai, St. Leonhard attained parish status in 1954.
Architecturally, the church features a round-arched doorway and a tower-like gable façade. The Gothic chancel faces south and is supported by modest stepped buttresses, with a sacristy extension positioned to the north. Notable exterior adornments include a Roman burial sculpture depicting a griffin on the chancel wall and a massive baroque crucifix on the southern exterior wall.
Internally, a wooden ceiling spans the hall-like nave, while the three-bay chancel’s ceiling is supported by displayed wall services. Noteworthy artworks within the church include Martin Häusle’s altar wall painting portraying a mercy seat and a circa 1350 painting in the choir depicting Saint George, the Virgin, and three saints defeating a dragon. Additional paintings from around 1420 depict scenes from the lives of Saints Catherine, Leonhard, and Dorothea, as well as the Last Judgment, executed in the harsh Friulian style.
The church houses several altars, including the old main altar from the younger Villach workshop, constructed between 1515 and 1520. This altar, currently situated in the Gothic choir, contains a shrine concealing a statue of Saint Leonhard, with painted wings featuring Saints Rupert and Nicholas. The new main altar, designed by Gernot Kulterer, is also prominent, complemented by northern and southern side altars featuring baroque figures and reliefs.
The pulpit, dating from the latter quarter of the 17th century, features reliefs of the Good Shepherd and Saint Leonhard from the twentieth century. Additionally, the church boasts a Francis cycle designed by Kurt Weiß and an Antonius relief by Mea von Bratusch. The organ, crafted by the Salzburg-based manufacturer Dreher, comprises 14 registers.
Parish Church of St. Niklas an der Drau
The Roman Catholic parish church of St. Nicholas in St. Niklas a der Drau, Villach, has a documented history dating back to 1370 and 1410, with reconsecration in 1486 after Turkish invasions. The current neo-baroque church was constructed in 1862, later refurbished in 1910 post-fire.
The architecture includes a three-bay nave connected to a single-bay flat-vaulted choir with a semi-circular apse. A two-story tower with pointed-arched sound openings adorns the northern choir corner, while a new mortuary lies to the west. The church features pointed arch windows in the nave and chancel, and a severely depressed triumphal arch with a basket arch. A cross-vaulted sacristy resides within the tower, accessed through a straight lintel entrance from the choir. The western gateway, dated 1862, showcases a flattened arch with a star window above.
Interior features include a late baroque organ in the west gallery and wall murals from 1862 depicting God the Father and the Mount of Olives scene. The neo-baroque high altar, designed by Ignaz Oblak in 1899, features Saint Nicholas flanked by Anna and Joseph, with Saint Florian above. A mid-eighteenth century late Baroque side altar displays Mary with child in the center image and a neo-Gothic addition of John the Baptist. The pulpit, constructed in 1780, showcases painted figures of the good Samaritan and the sower on parapet panels, capped with foliage-decorated volutes bearing a shell, and featuring a Holy Spirit dove beneath the sound cover.
Parish Church of St. Martin
The Parish Church of St. Martin in Villach, situated on a hill by the Drau River, has a rich historical background. It was likely established around 800 AD and dedicated to St. Martin, the Franconian national saint. After various mentions in historical records, it was promoted to parish status in 1244. The church experienced periods of Protestantism during the 16th century but underwent renovations during the Baroque era, including the construction of its distinctive onion dome. Landslides in 1916 and structural damage in 1962 due to renovations caused significant disruptions. The church’s jurisdiction changed over time, eventually falling under the Diocese of Gurk since 1786.
The church itself is a single-nave structure with side chapels resembling transept arms. The tower, located in the southeast corner, houses tombstones dating back to the 16th century. The late Gothic-style chancel features a cross-vaulted ceiling, while the transept-like chapels are also cross-vaulted. The baroque high altar, designed in 1778, showcases stories of St. Martin, with sculptures of Peter and Paul above the sacrificial doors. Other altars, such as the one in the northern transept, date back to the 17th century and feature intricate designs and religious imagery. Additionally, there are console figures, including a Baroque Ecce homo and a Vespers, along with a baptismal group and a contemporary baptismal font.
A significant artwork by Anton Blumenthal, dating to around 1580, portrays the Reformation idea of law and grace, symbolizing the Old and New Testaments. This painting, discovered in 1962, shares themes with an older panel painting from 1540, both depicting the mercy of God through crucifixion and resurrection symbolism.
Pilgrimage Church of Maria Gail
The Maria Gail pilgrimage church, situated in Carinthia south of Villach, has a rich history dating back to the 12th century. Originally a Romanesque structure, it underwent expansion and renovation in the 15th century, including the addition of late Gothic features like rib vaults and chapels. However, it suffered desecration and destruction during Turkish assaults in the late 15th century and underwent reconsecration and renovation in the subsequent years. The church experienced a period of Lutheran control during the 16th century reformation.
The church is adorned with stone sculptures on its southern exterior walls, including representations of Archangel Michael and other angelic figures, likely depicting scenes from the Last Judgment. Inside, late Romanesque murals from the 13th century adorn the nave walls, depicting scenes from Christ’s Passion, Resurrection, and Mary’s Burial.
The high altar, constructed in the baroque style, features a wooden Madonna with child, considered a miraculous image. Surrounding the Madonna are sculptures of saints, including Sebastian, Rochus, Peter, and John. The church also houses a late-Gothic winged altar, a masterpiece of the Villach school, depicting Mary’s coronation and scenes from her life.
Other notable features include a Romanesque baptismal font, angels depicted on the vault of the Anna chapel, and baroque side altars adorned with late Gothic sculptures of Madonna and Child, St. Barbara, and St. Margareta. Overall, the Maria Gail pilgrimage church stands as a testament to centuries of religious significance and artistic achievement in the region.
Oberwollanig Church (St. Lawrence)
The Roman Catholic Church of Oberwollanig, under the patronage of Saint Laurentius, is part of the Sankt Nikolai parish in Villach. The church, characterized by its Romanesque nave and 14th-century Gothic chancel, features distinctive architectural elements such as a pointed helmet on the eastern ridge turret and a western arbor. Notable features include Romanesque windows, tracery lugs on lancet windows, and stone slabs covering the roof and tower.
Inside, the nave boasts a wooden panel ceiling from 1514 adorned with perspective grids and tendril designs. A flattened triumphal arch connects the nave to the choir, which is distinguished by a six-part fan vault terminating in 5/8 time. A Roman tomb inscription and niche with local residents’ names are located near the altar. The choir walls display paintings from the early 16th century, depicting Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom and the Last Judgment, alongside saints and evangelist emblems.
The church’s high altar, constructed in 1706, features twisted columns and an acanthus design, with an altarpiece depicting Saint Laurentius. Additionally, a late Gothic pulpit from around 1530 and a Magdalen altar from the previous century are preserved at other locations. Notably, the church houses a 12th-century bell, adding to its historical significance and architectural charm.
Church of St. Johann
The branch church of St. Johann in Villach, situated on a hill 560 meters above sea level in the Völkendorf neighborhood, is dedicated to John the Baptist. First mentioned in 1331, the church suffered devastation during a Turkish assault in 1478 and later underwent periods of Protestantism before being restored to Catholicism under various institutions. The church’s property was seized in 1785 as part of reforms.
The modest Gothic church features a substantially repaired single-bay nave, a 14th-century choir with a five-eighth note, and a reconstructed ridge turret with a pointed helmet. A two-story sacristy is situated to the south. Inside, the chancel displays a ribbed ceiling with a circular keystone on consoles, along with a modest Gothic sacrament niche and late 14th-century frescoes on the walls. Traces of previous artwork are visible in the slightly indented triumphal arch.
The late 17th-century high altar, depicting Christ’s baptism, is a prominent feature, alongside a reworked Crucifixion artwork on the nave’s south wall. Additionally, two Gothic saint sculptures once adorned the church’s southeastern exterior wall, adding to its historical and religious significance.
Filialkirche Obere Fellach (St.Thomas)
The Obere Fellach branch church, located in Villach, is dedicated to St. Thomas. First mentioned in 1486, it belongs to the parish of St. Martin. The late-Gothic church comprises a three-bay nave, a retractable choir, and a pyramidal roofed tower. A one-bay cross-vaulted sacristy is situated to the southeast. Access is via a porch and a Gothic doorway. The nave features a Bohemian Platzl vault.
The altarpiece of the high altar, dating from the second third of the 17th century, depicts Christ and the Apostle Thomas, with St. Florian above. A painting from 1771 on the north side altar depicts the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, with the apostle Bartholomew above.
The southern side altar, originally the high altar from 1520, is a winged altar with paintings from circa 1430 to 1440. The shrine houses sculptures of Saints Nicholas and Thomas, likely from the early 16th century. The moveable inner wings depict scenes such as the Annunciation and Christ’s Birth, while the outer wings illustrate episodes from the Thomas tale.
Additionally, the church features a Christ Salvator figure from circa 1515 and a refurbished 17th-century organ from 1986.
