Saint Margaret church

The parish church of Alkoven stands in the heart of the village of Alkoven in Upper Austria’s Eferding district. A protected monument, the building began as a late-Gothic hall church and was reshaped in the 19th century. Its west tower, dated 1469, rises with an eight-sided spire above the main entrance. The church is worth a visit for its layered history and fine craftsmanship. The first written record of the church dates from the late 10th century. Inside, the three-aisled nave is covered by a net-ribbed vault from around 1500. The single-bay choir ends in a five-sided apse and is vaulted with Gothic ribs. A two-bay west gallery rests on matching ribs. Visitors find a calm interior dominated by neo-Gothic fittings. A late-Gothic relief from the early 16th century depicts the martyrdom of Saint Margaret. The organ, built in the style of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, was installed in 1997 by Rowan West. The exterior combines the original late-Gothic lines with later alterations, giving the church a quiet presence in the village square.