Description of the attraction
St. Nicholas Church is located in the northern part of the popular resort of Bad Gastein, about a kilometer from the city's main train station. This Catholic church was built at the beginning of the 15th century in the late Gothic style. The solemn consecration of the temple took place in 1412.
It is a rather powerful structure, characterized by a gable roof and narrow but high windows, typical of the Gothic style. The exterior of the building will feature a semicircular choir room, decorated with a series of similar windows and supported by buttresses. The northern portal is replete with a variety of graceful arcades and cornices. The architectural ensemble is complemented by a bell tower topped with a long octagonal spire. Also at the top of this tower will stand out a small but very pretty window known as biforium, which is an arched opening divided into two parts by a column.
Among the interior rooms, the choir, located one level above the main nave of the temple, stands out. To the left of it is the sacristy, also skillfully decorated in the late Gothic style. Church utensils date back to the beginning of the 17th century. However, the most striking detail of the interior of the Church of St. Nicholas is its ancient frescoes, made at the end of the 15th century. In a surprising way, it was possible to preserve many fragments of the murals, including in the choirs and in the eastern part of the temple. They depict various scenes from the Bible: Adam and Eve, the Passion of Christ, the Last Judgment, Christ and the 12 Apostles, various saints. Also on the walls of the church you can distinguish interesting coats of arms that belonged to noble Austrian families.
The temple itself has undergone several restoration work, and the frescoes were meticulously refurbished in 1989. An old cemetery is laid out around the church.
