Pfarrkirche hl. Jakobus, Ritzing

The Roman Catholic parish church in Ritzing stands inside the old walled cemetery at the south-west edge of the village. It is dedicated to Saint James the Elder and belongs to the deanery of Deutschkreutz. The church is protected as a listed monument. The building was first recorded in 1663, though its core is medieval and the choir dates from the 15th century. Between 1640 and 1667 it was remodelled in the Baroque style. A full restoration took place from 1972 to 1975. The west tower has a square base and stone spire from the 17th century. The north side of the nave is Romanesque, built of ashlar blocks. The 15th-century choir ends in a five-sided apse. A sacristy joins the choir to the north and a modern extension to the south. Inside, the three-bay nave has a ribbed cross vault from the 17th century. The three-bay west gallery rests on a similar vault. A round triumphal arch is carried on corbels about three metres above floor level. The high altar, made around 1700, is a columned structure with a half-round niche and pierced side wings.