Leonhardskirche (Feldbach)

The Leonhardskirche stands in Feldbach, a town in the Steiermark region of Austria. It is a Roman Catholic parish church whose origins go back to 1188. The present building was designed by Hans Pascher and completed in 1900 in a Neo-Renaissance style. The church incorporates part of a 14th-century Gothic nave that survived earlier wars. A separate 72-metre concrete bell tower was added between 1961 and 1964. The church is worth visiting for its layered history and notable artworks. The Gothic nave now serves as a war memorial after damage in 1945. Veit Königer’s 18th-century Crucifixion group sits in the altar area. The bell tower carries a colourful mural created in 1987 by Gustav Troger with local parishioners. Five bells were installed in 2015, including a peace bell. Inside, the Neo-Renaissance nave has six wide bays and side chapels. The organ installed in 2012 has 46 stops and 3,597 pipes, including a wind-chime effect named after a former parish priest. Outside, fragments of the 15th-century town defences remain around the church. These remnants now house a local history and fishing museum.