Saint Margaret Church (Mörschwang)

The parish church of Mörschwang stands in the village of Mörschwang in Upper Austria. A Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Margaret, it belongs to the deanery of Altheim in the diocese of Linz. Both the church and its adjoining cemetery are protected monuments. The church dates back to at least 1130, when it was first mentioned in records. A new dedication took place in 1523 after rebuilding. The Gothic structure has simple buttresses along the nave and more elaborate ones on the choir. The single-aisled nave has three bays, leading to a three-bay choir with a five-sided apse. Ribbed vaults display six-part star patterns, supported by half-columns. The west gallery, built in 1765, features painted scenes from the life of Saint Margaret on its wooden balustrade. The sacristy door shows late Gothic tracery, and the sturdy tower rises near the southern corner of the choir, capped by a steep spire. The surrounding cemetery wall is topped with wedge-shaped stones. Inside, the high altar from 1702 holds two late Gothic statues of Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine, carved around 1510. The tabernacle in Rococo style was made by Johann Ferdinand Schwanthaler. The main altarpiece by Ignaz Jäger, painted in 1823, was restored in 1919. Side altars from about 1670 are attributed to Thomas Schwanthaler and were restored in the early 1920s. A former high altarpiece was created by Johann Paul Vogl in 1702. The pulpit dates from the late 18th century and shows classical features. A baroque crucifix hangs in the choir, made in the mid-18th century. A grave slab from the early 1300s commemorates Johanna, daughter of Hartneitz von Losenstein, with an incised full-length portrait. A bell cast in 1575 still rings today.