Marktkirche hl. Sebastian, Altheim

The Marktkirche Altheim stands in the town of Altheim in Upper Austria. This Roman Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Sebastian, belongs to the parish church of Altheim and the deanery of Altheim-Aspach in the Diocese of Linz. It is protected as a listed monument. Built in 1634 during a time of plague, the church reflects its difficult origins. The single-nave structure has a barrel-vaulted nave leading to a narrower, barrel-vaulted choir ending in a semicircle. The tower, added in 1763, features a distinctive double onion dome. On the exterior of the choir, an old gravestone shows a full-length relief figure from the 16th century. Inside, the high altar dates from the late 18th century and was restored in 1939. The pulpit comes from around the middle of that century. A richly decorated Rococo niche holds a seated Madonna and Child in the style of Johann Peter Schwanthaler the Elder. The nave contains statues of the Man of Sorrows and the Sorrowful Mother of God, also from the late 18th century. Three paintings from the same period adorn the organ loft. One of the church’s bells was cast in 1654.