St. Margaretha (Aiterhofen)

St Margareta stands in Aiterhofen, a village in the Straubing-Bogen district of Bavaria. The church is a three-aisled Romanesque basilica begun in the early 13th century. Over the centuries it has been enlarged and altered, most notably in the 18th century when Baroque furnishings were added. Extensive restoration work between 1990 and 1995 preserved the building’s fabric. The exterior still shows its late-Romanesque appearance, with plain walls and two towers. The north tower has five storeys while the south tower reaches only the height of the side aisle. Inside, whitewashed walls set off painted architectural details. The chancel is lower than the nave, and the apse has a small conical roof. Inside the church, Baroque altars and statues dominate. The high altar shows Saint Margaret seated on a dragon, flanked by figures of Peter and Paul. A painting by Christian Wink on the right altar depicts the homage of the continents to the infant Jesus. The polygonal pulpit on a single column is reached by a winding stair. The organ casing of 1874 houses a modern instrument installed in 1981 and expanded in 1995.