Matreier Pfarrkirche St. Alban

The parish church of St Alban in Matrei in East Tyrol stands in the town centre with its 86-metre tower, the tallest among rural churches in the region. Built in the late 18th century, it blends late Baroque forms with early Classical lines under a single roof. The church is protected as a national monument.

The church replaced a smaller Gothic building that had itself replaced a Romanesque predecessor destroyed by fire in 1326. Plans for the new church were debated in Salzburg, where local builders and the archbishop’s advisers argued over size and style. Thomas Mayr, the Lienz master builder, finally won the commission and oversaw construction from 1777 to 1783, with the interior completed five years later. The total cost was set at 20,000 gulden, though delays arose when part of the money was diverted elsewhere.

Inside, the nave is divided into three bays by massive wall piers and double pilasters. A broad barrel vault rises above, punctuated by lunettes and a central square dome frescoed by Franz Anton Zeiller. The dome shows the ascent of St Alban, flanked by scenes of his martyrdom on the side walls. Stuck work by Franz Graßmayr frames the frescoes, while the high altar and side altars were finished in 1807. The western tower serves as the main entrance, leading directly into the lofty interior.