Pfarrkirche Laimbach am Ostrong

The parish church of Laimbach am Ostrong stands on rising ground in the centre of the village, surrounded by a walled cemetery. It belongs to the Roman Catholic diocese of St Pölten and is dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch. The church and its graveyard are listed monuments, recognised for their historical and architectural importance. The church began as a chapel dependent on Weiten parish in the 13th century and became an independent parish in 1336. It was renovated in 1902 and restored in 1974. The building shows layers of Gothic, Baroque and Biedermeier styles. The west tower, added in 1822, replaced an earlier wooden belfry. Inside, the 15th-century net-ribbed vault in the choir contrasts with the flat ceiling of 1852 in the nave. A two-bay choir with a five-sided apse contains a large keystone and short engaged shafts rising from plain corbels. The west gallery, supported by two columns, spans much of the nave. The high altar of 1902 holds statues of Saint Margaret, Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Anthony the Hermit. The organ, built in 1838 and restored in 2009, has ten stops. The church’s stained glass includes figures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Michael from the later 20th century.