Pfarrkirche hl. Koloman, St Koloman

The parish church of St Koloman stands in the centre of the village of St Koloman, a small settlement in the Hallein district of Salzburg. A church has stood on this spot since 1506, though the present building dates largely from the 18th century after a fire in 1768. The simple exterior hides a single-nave interior covered by a segmental barrel vault, with a plain tower topped by a bulbous dome. A late Gothic statue of St Koloman stands in the tower hall, while a memorial chapel for war dead is built into the north gable. Inside, the high altar from the late 1700s carries a modern figure of the Virgin of the Moon by Josef Bachlechner the Elder. The side altars, altered in the 18th century, display works by Anton Eggl and figures by Johann Georg Itzlfeldner. The pulpit, also late 18th century, shows a painting of Christ at Emmaus by the same artist. A new organ by Kögler was installed in 2013 after the earlier instrument was removed in the 1960s. The church is surrounded by a graveyard and approached through the quiet village square. The interior walls are plain, allowing the painted ceiling and altarpieces to stand out. The tower’s round-headed sound openings and the segmental apse at the east end give the exterior a restrained baroque character. Visitors find a peaceful place where centuries of local faith and artistry remain visible in every detail.