Römerkirche Aurachkirchen

The Romanesque Nikolauskirche stands in the hamlet of Aurachkirchen, a quiet village in the Gmunden district of Upper Austria. It belongs to the parish of Ohlsdorf yet is owned by the local church preservation society, a rare arrangement. The building has carried the name ‘Römerkirche’ since the 12th century, hinting at its early origins. Its walls date from about 1140, making it one of Austria’s best-preserved Romanesque village churches. Inside, the Merowinger bell, one of the oldest in the German-speaking world, still rings. Late Gothic ribbed vaults and a new choir were added in the 15th century, while the interior glows with statues by Lienhart Astl and a richly carved Baroque high altar. Visitors step into a single nave under plain white plaster, its late Gothic ceiling ribs forming delicate patterns overhead. On the north wall stand late Gothic figures of Saint Barbara and Saint Katharina, while the high altar shows gilded figures of saints arranged around a painted backdrop. The Merowinger bell hangs in a small bell tower beside the church, its deep tone marking the passing hours.