Church of the Pokrov

The large parish church of Maria Schutz stands in the centre of Groß-Enzersdorf, a town in the Marchfeld region of Lower Austria. Built as a fortified church in the late 13th century, it has a massive north tower and a choir added in the late 14th century. The structure shows layers of Gothic and Baroque styles, with later Baroque embellishments from the 17th century. The church is worth visiting for its well-preserved medieval fabric and later artistic additions. The early Gothic nave has sturdy square piers and wide round arches, while the Baroque organ case dates from 1773. Inside, a Gothic wall painting of the Deesis from the mid-14th century and a Baroque figure of the Risen Christ stand out. The high altar, a rich double-columned Baroque work, holds a 17th-century Madonna and figures of Joachim, Anna, Zacharias and Elisabeth. Visitors find a three-aisled nave under a steep roof, a raised Baroque organ loft on Tuscan columns, and a tall Gothic choir with ribbed vaulting and colourful keystones. The north tower contains a late 13th-century ribbed vault and a Baroque sacristy beside it. A separate Baroque chapel, once dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, now serves as a war memorial. The stained glass dates from 1936, and several heraldic tombstones line the side aisles.