Alte Klosterkirche, Justizanstalt Stein

The old Redemptoristine convent church stands in Stein an der Donau, a town on the Danube in Lower Austria. Built between 1839 and 1843, it served the convent founded by the Redemptoristines, an order established in 1732 by Alfonso Maria de Liguori. The church formed the spiritual heart of the community until the 1848 revolutions led to its closure. In April 1848 revolutionary forces expelled the nine nuns, who later settled in Eggenburg and refused to return. After the state acquired the site in 1850, the buildings became part of a provincial prison complex. The former church was converted for use as a recreation hall for inmates, showing films and holding events. In 1996 the prison director Johann Hadrbolec began restoration to return the building to its original church form. Completed in 1998, it was reconsecrated by Bishop Kurt Krenn and now serves both the prison and the public. Visitors find a restored 19th-century church with simple classical lines and a peaceful interior. The building sits within the high-security prison grounds but opens for cultural events, linking the institution with the outside world. Its plain white walls and modest furnishings recall the quiet devotion of the Redemptoristine sisters. The space now hosts concerts, readings and exhibitions, offering a rare glimpse into a place where faith, history and justice intersect.