Versöhnungskirche

The Versöhnungskirche stands in Radstadt, a town in the Salzburger Land. It belongs to the Evangelical parish of Radstadt-Altenmarkt, part of the Peter-und-Paul-Kirche community in Schladming. The parish covers the entire Ennspongau region, including places like Flachau and Obertauern. Radstadt played an early role in the Reformation when Georg Scherer, a former monk turned Protestant preacher, was executed there in 1528. The church’s name reflects both this history and the 1731–32 expulsion of Salzburg Protestants under the Emigrationspatent.

The church and parish centre were built between 1993 and 1995 to designs by architect Jakob Adlhart of Hallein. Bishop Herwig Sturm consecrated the church in June 1996. A memorial plaque inside honours Georg Scherer, linking the building to the town’s Protestant past. The architecture draws on local traditions, with a solid tower and low-pitched roofs forming a unified ensemble. Inside, open timber structures give the spaces a warm, communal feel.

Visitors find a quiet church set beside a modern parish hall. The memorial to Scherer is placed where it can be seen by those entering. The building’s design keeps the interior bright and welcoming, with woodwork left exposed. Outside, the compact form of church and house sits close to the town’s streets. The surroundings include the broader Ennspongau valley, where Protestant history is still remembered.