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Medieval Austria

@medievalaustria

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Follow three art historians who set out to explore Austria’s medieval heritage 🇦🇹. By @sophiemorawitz, @harmnina and @chez___tonton

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Today we'd like to follow up on our previous post about St. Magdalena im Gschnitztal and show you the medieval wall paintings inside the church.
There are two layers of frescoes, the older ones from the first half of the 13th century and the later ones from 1460.

The romesque wall paintings depict the Fall with Adam and Eve around the Tree of Knowledge, the Flight to Egypt with Mary and Jesus on a donkey lead by Joseph. On the western wall only an unknown female saint in the orans posture remains intact.
The romanesque paintings are unique in their simplicity, especially noticable in the donkey, which only consists of its outlines. There are no known examples of frescoes in a similar style in the region.

On the nave's northern wall a few scenes from the legend of Mary Magdalene dating from 1460 are depicted: Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ in the house of Simon the Pharisee, the Elevation of Mary Magdalene, nautical scenes with mythical creatures next to a seaport, an unknown donator and the saint recieving her last communion by Lazarus, the bishop of Marseille.
These paintings are stylistically attributed to the South Tyrolean painter Leonhard von Brixen or his surroundings.
While the clothing of the figures seems rather flat, the architecture surrounding them is painted with great attention to detail, setting the scene in a glamorous late gothic environment.

Even though neither of these wall paintings are considered masterpieces, they still manage to fascinate us and give some amount of insight into the rural alpine pilgrimage in the middle ages. taken in St. Magdalena im Gschnitztal by @medievalaustria

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20 days ago

As you can see in our stories, a wonderful project went live today that we don’t want to keep from you: the “Gotikstrasse Mühlviertel–Südböhmen“. And what is more, our very own @sophiemorawitz is part of the team behind it. Originally developed in the 1990s as a Touristroad in the Mühlviertel region, the „Gotikstrasse“ was now expanded into South Bohemia as part of an Interreg project, connecting a total of 58 Gothic churches on both sides: from an art-historical and tourism perspective and also digitally—so you can “visit” each church from the comfort of your own sofa 🛋️ 🤩🧑‍💻. We’ve also visited a special highlight of the “Gotikstrasse” on numerous times: the parish church in Königswiesen! It’s the church’s vaulted ceiling—composed of hundreds of curved ribs—that has always captivated us! The main portal with its rectangular tracery frame—including the vestibule, pews, and holy water font in the southwest, and the sacristy in the southeast—date from the same construction phase as the breathtaking ribbed vault. The choir, with its ribbed vault featuring a 5/8 closure, dates back to the fourth quarter of the 14th century, while the lower level of the tower dates to the 13th century. Raised in the second half of the 15th century, it received its current crowning elements—historicist gables and a pyramidal spire—in 1884. All in all, one the finest examples of Austrian Gothic architecture! #gotikstrasse #mühlviertel #gothicarchitecture #königswiesen taken in Königswiesen, Oberosterreich, Austria by @medievalaustria

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For today's post @medievalaustria and @arthur.sattler_photography (art history student from Innsbruck, big fan of medieval architecture and hobby photographer) decided to collaborate in order to shine some light on a hidden gem in the Tyrolean alps:
The small medieval pilgrimage church of St. Magdalena im Gschnitztal in the Brennerpass region.
The church is mostly known by locals for it's specatcular location on top of a cliff high above the Gschnitz valley.
For us however, its history and most importantly the interior are even more intersting.

The exact origins of the pilgrimage remain unclear, the church most likely was first built in the late 12th century, together with a hermitage, which was completely rebuilt in the 17th century.
The small romanesque church consisted of a single nave with 6x5 meters in size. From this period only the walls as well as a single small window, which today leads to the baroque sacristy, remain.
After a fire in the early 15th century the apse was rebuilt in the gothic style and the nave got its ribbed vault, which was adorned by floral paintings in the early 16th century.
The building itself remains mostly unchanged from this era except for the baroque additions on the outside and the round window on the western wall. It was restored after 1959, when wall paintings from two different eras were discovered, which we will talk about in our next post.

The charming little church is certainly a great destination for everyone who can't decide between a stunning, quiet mountain hike and looking at medieval art. taken in St. Magdalena im Gschnitztal by @medievalaustria

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a month ago

Ever wondered how people provided light indoors during the Middle Ages? This canopy served as a covering for a light niche, likely for the fireproof storage of candles or larger oil lamps or even small fire? We don't know for sure.

According to information on site, it remains in its original placement. If you get closer, you can clearly see that the niche is actually connected to the chimney and is heavily soot-stained.

Stylistically, it can be dated to the 15th century, which perfectly aligns with an important historical event in the house's history. In 1489, Emperor Frederick III gifted it to the citizens of Enns as the seat of the council, thus making it the town hall. The light niche is located on the upper floor, directly opposite a corridor and on the way to what later became the council chamber. Coincidence? Probably not. This is a heavily frequented area of the house so it needed a light source.

Even though we don't have much information about the detailed history of the house, and this object seems a bit odd for an interior space, we like the idea of the light niche and wonder if you've ever seen anything like it?

#enns #visitupperaustria #lightniche #medievallights taken in Enns by @medievalaustria

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a month ago

by @medievalaustria

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a month ago

Have you ever visited #eggenburg ?

The city's origins can be traced back to the Babenberg era (976–1246). After the turn of the millennium, Lower Austria became increasingly settled, and to secure this territory, the fortified border town of Eggenburg was established around 1160/70. The first written records of "Eginpurch" date from the 12th century. In the conflict between Přemysl Ottokar and Rudolf of Habsburg, Eggenburg sided with the Habsburg, whereupon the Habsburgs renewed the city's charter on August 13, 1277.

In 1360, Rudolf IV of Austria granted the towns of Laa an der Thaya and Eggenburg, as well as Greitschenstein Castle, to his wife Katharina to secure her dowry. This underscores the city's importance.

The city experienced a golden age in the 15th and early 16th centuries. The famous sgraffito house, also known as the "painted house," testifies to the self-confidence of the citizens. The city fortifications were expanded. The quarrying and processing of Zogelsdorf sandstone led to the development of a highly sophisticated stonemasonry industry around the city.

Next week (September 12th and 13th) is the perfect time to take a closer look at the city and its medieval history. During the medieval festival, parts of the city wall can be visited and guided tours will be offered at the church. And don't miss the biggest medieval festival in Austria.

3. Picture is showing @dreynschlag in Action last year.

#mittelalterstadteggenburg #stadtmauerstadt #medievalcitywalls #stonemasonry taken in Eggenburg by @medievalaustria

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In anticipation of the upcoming Medieval Fair in @eggenburg.official next weekend, we paid a visit to the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer of the @kunsthistorischesmuseumvienna ❤️. Among other things, we discovered this amazing collar detail! It can be seen in a portrait of Charles I (V) from around 1507 and shows a richly pleated shirt hem with the inscription FIS.DE.ROI.SPANNER.N., thus referring to his role as the future King of Spain. Our team member @sophiemorawitz is most excited about this discovery, as she’s currently working on exactly this kind of shirt—with so-called smocked pleats on the collar—for the @mittelalterfesteggenburg . Are you curious to see what it will look like? Then check out our todays storys and keep your fingers crossed that the undershirt will be ready by September 12th! Because that’s when it’s supposed to be worn at the first day of @mittelalterfesteggenburg! Will you be at the Fair, too? If so, what will you be wearing 🤔⚔️🧙👑🏰? #khm #mittelalterfest #medievalclothes #smocking taken in Hofjagd und Rüstkammer by @medievalaustria

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This early 16th-century sculpture of a bearded saint requires few words. Its expression, craftsmanship, and current fragmented state create an image that almost speaks for itself. Its high-quality execution makes it one of the most interesting objects in the @museum_am_dom ’s current special exhibition, “Schicht um Schicht.” The surface treatment and style of expression are indicative of skilled hands and a seasoned workshop. Remnants of primer, paint, and gilding also offer insights into the object’s former use. Was it part of a larger relief? Magnificent, in any case. And made of wood, as the broken edge unmistakably reveals. Though not part of the original design, this feature makes the object all the more distinctive and dramatic today. #stpölten #medievalsculpture #medievalart #gothicart #medievalaustria taken in Museum am Dom by @medievalaustria

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2 months ago

Ruttenstein Castle stands at an elevation of 758 meters on a forested hill between the valleys of the Mühlviertel region. It was protected partly by rock faces and partly by a perimeter wall with seven towers. The remarkably vast ruins include an outer bailey covering 3,200 square meters and an inner bailey with residential buildings spanning approximately 1,600 square meters. With a built-up area of approximately 4,800 m², it is considered Austria’s largest fortified complex.
The castle is first mentioned in a document dated 1209, issued by Duke Leopold for the Baumgartenberg Monastery, under the name Rotenstein. However, the architectural features of the upper castle also suggest that the castle is significantly older. Its construction is roughly dated to the 12th century, though later phases are also evident. Following a fire in 1594 and lightning strikes, the castle eventually fell into disrepair. Since then, the castle has stood as an imposing ruin, nestled among lush hills and green forests. #medievalcastle #medievaltimes #medievalarchitecture #12thcentury #medievalaustria taken in Burgruine Ruttenstein by @medievalaustria

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After showing you the castle ruins and the parish church of Langenwang, it’s time to look at a piece of Art that once adorned the castle chapel and can now be found in the parish church.

Unfortunately, not much is known about this particular work: the two winged altarpiece is distinguished by its preserved colors and elaborate carved edges. First we where blown away and by looking closer there we realized that some restoration work and additions must have taken place here. Especially in the 19th century.

According to a description at the castle, the altarpiece was created around 1509. When open, a golden Visitation scene is visible; when the wings are closed, we see eight saints. The Visitation is set in a steep landscape, depicting a castle (or town) high on the mountain. The gate from which Elizabeth emerges resembles a town gate. Despite the monochrome effect of the gilding, the garments display rich folds and flowing volume. The eight saints on the outer wings are colorfully rendered, and their attributes are easily recognizable.

Can you tell which saints are shown? taken in Langenwang by @medievalaustria

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A medieval church a day keeps the doctor away. Or something like that! In any case, the parish church in the village of Langenwang invites you to marvel at its beauty and linger a while: masterful ribbed vaults, diagonal struts, corbels with heads and coats of arms, and vine-motif paintings. What more could you ask for? According to research, the present building was constructed in two phases. First came the low, single-bay choir with a five-eighths apse in the 14th century, followed by the wide nave. It towers over the choir as a three-aisled, four-bay hall; the two eastern piers are round, each with a corbel and a canopy above, while the remaining piers are octagonal. The central nave has a net rib vault with two parallel ribs; the side aisles have rib vaults with skewed four-rayed star ribs and a central diamond. On the sides of the nave walls are corbels with small, simple capitals. However, the recessed pointed arch of the chancel arch provides a clue to the construction date of the nave. On the vaulting corbel north of the front arch, there is a coat-of-arms shield with a shield bearer bearing the date 1496. The late-Gothic vine motifs in the vaults are dated 1501. The interior furnishings are also noteworthy, as the church today houses, among other things, a medieval altar from the former castle chapel of the nearby (and recently featured) Hohenwang Castle. Stay tuned for more details about the altar! #langenwang #hohenwang #medievalaustria #medievaltimes #gothicchurch taken in Langenwang by @medievalaustria

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Summertime is castle time 🏰 ! To escape the heat in the city, we headed out into the countryside once again and visited one of our absolute favorite castles in Styria: the Castle Hohenwang in Langenwang! The core of the castle complex dates back to the 12th century and is considered one of the most significant medieval fortifications of that era. It’s also known for its extraordinary length, which makes it one of the largest castles in Styria. Despite the castle’s decline, which began in the late 18th century, its original layout—consisting of a main keep and two outer works separated by moats—is still clearly visible today. Part of the western core structure, the main gate, and the shield wall of the upper castle—visible in the photo—are particularly well-preserved. Finally, a word of warning for anyone planning a visit: the castle is accessible only via a forest trail. So don’t forget to pack your hiking boots and plenty of water for the climb! 🥾🏞️💦🥵 #medievalaustria #medievalcastle #visitstyria #medievaltimes #12thcenturyarchitecture taken in Burgruine Hohenwang by @medievalaustria

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