Description of the attraction
St. Catherine's Church is located in the western part of the spa town of Bad Kleinkirchheim. It rises on a steep mountain slope. It is interesting that this Catholic church was built on the site of a healing spring and therefore enjoyed great popularity among pilgrims for a long time.
This building was made in the late Gothic style at the end of the 15th century; it is known that the ceremony of consecration of the temple took place in 1492. Surprisingly, the church has survived to this day in an almost authentic form. It is a fairly large building with high and spacious choirs. It is also interesting that two entrances lead to the church at once - one, passing through an arched gallery covered with a wooden roof, was equipped a little later - in the 17th century. The windows in the building are also elegantly decorated with Gothic ornaments and are lanceolate, that is, narrow and long. The architectural ensemble is complemented by a high bell tower topped with a dark pointed spire.
The ceilings inside the temple are vaulted, supported by columns. Some of the details of the Gothic interior have been preserved, especially the massive old doors and the wooden choir decoration dating back to 1520. In the same year, the amazing main altar of the church was started by the master of the Villach school. In the altar there are carved wooden figures of various saints, in the upper part of it, for example, the Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and St. John is located. Interestingly, all the figures of the saints in the altar of the church of St. Catherine can be moved. The lower part of the altar has already been made in the form of a painting on wood. Particularly worth noting is its reverse, which depicts St. Veronica. The year of completion of work on the altar - 1573 - and the name of the master - Johannes Schnelle are also displayed there.
St. Catherine's Church is an additional church of a large city parish. Since 1993, it has functioned exclusively as a baptismal chapel.
