Pfarrkirche Gösing am Wagram

The parish church of Gösing am Wagram stands in the south-east of the village, part of the market town of Fels am Wagram in the district of Tulln. It is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and belongs to the deanery of Hadersdorf within the vicariate under the Manhartsberg of the Archdiocese of Vienna. The building has been protected as a listed monument since the 14th century. The church began as a branch of Grafenwörth before becoming an independent parish in 1480. A Carmelite monastery in Vienna founded that year helped establish the parish, which remained linked to Göttweig Abbey from 1548 to 1995. The present structure grew from a late-Gothic chapel first recorded in 1477. In 1671 the early-Baroque nave was added by master mason Georg Dufta. A tower extension and porch were added in the mid-19th century. Inside, the late-Historicist high altar of 1904 shows a relief of the Baptism of Christ flanked by statues of Saint Leopold and a bishop. The organ was built in 1898 by Max Zachistal and Franz Capek. The church’s simple exterior gives little hint of the rich interior furnishings and careful craftsmanship preserved within.