Ehemalige Marienkirche in Struden

The former Marienkirche in Struden, also known as the Schifferkirche, stands in the small market town of Struden along the Danube in Upper Austria. It was a Gothic church built in 1502, possibly on the site of an earlier building, and served as a branch church of nearby St Nikola an der Donau. The church was closed in 1787 and later converted into a private residence after being auctioned in 1792. In 2012, it was placed under Denkmalschutz, recognising its historical and architectural significance. The church’s interior measured 19 metres long and 6.65 metres wide, with a small sacristy and a tiled floor. It once housed a small organ, two side altars, a pulpit, and three bells in its wooden tower. The surrounding churchyard, enclosed by a wall, was 28.5 metres long and 12.35 metres wide. Many of its furnishings were moved to other churches after closure, including the high altar and organ to St Nikola and bells to nearby Kreuzen. Today, the building serves as a private residence divided into two houses. The former nave is split into two floors, while the recessed Gothic choir has been extended to three storeys. Original features remain visible, such as Gothic wall paintings from the 1430s, a 1712 portal, and remnants of the church’s vaulting and windows. Outside, a small market square with a fountain stands before the building, and the former pillory can be seen at nearby Burg Werfenstein.