Pfarrkirche Eibenstein

The parish church of Eibenstein stands on a hill above the Thaya river, facing the ruins of Eibenstein castle. A steep flight of steps, aligned with the tower on the front of the church, leads up from the road. The building mixes styles: its core is Romanesque, the nave was altered in the Gothic period, and the west tower is Baroque. The church was first mentioned in 1300, though the parish may be older. In 1467 and 1475 a man called Wolfgang Müller obtained indulgences in Rome to help pay for building and decorating the church. After repairs in 1730 under Abbot Nikolaus Zandt, the parish came under the care of Geras Abbey. Inside, the simple nave and narrower rectangular choir still show their Romanesque origins. The three-storey Baroque tower has chamfered edges, pilasters and a bulbous dome with clock faces. A sacristy on the north side carries renewed plaster pilasters. A late 16th-century wall painting was uncovered in 1975. The churchyard is enclosed by a sloping wall.