Kath. Filialkirche hl. Nikolaus

The Catholic branch church of St Nicholas stands at the southern edge of Schönau on the Danube in Lower Austria. Built in 1768, it is a simple Baroque structure with a north tower topped by a pointed gable. A small porch with a scroll gable joins the church on its eastern side. The single-aisled nave has two bays covered by a barrel vault with lunettes, supported by flat wall pilasters. The choir is the same width as the nave, slightly raised and finished in a six-sided apse. The high altar, also from 1768, is a small Baroque column altar with an image of St Nicholas painted by Johann Cimbal, flanked by figures of Saints Peter and Paul. A late-Gothic statue of St Nicholas from the late 15th century stands near the altar. Plain glass windows from the early 20th century let in soft light, and the church’s modest interior keeps the focus on its historic furnishings. The building remains under official protection as a listed monument.