Pfarrkirche Thörl-Maglern

The parish church of Thörl-Maglern stands alone in the Gail valley near Arnoldstein in southern Austria. Built on the site of an 1169 chapel, the present late-Gothic building was consecrated in 1489 after a Turkish raid had destroyed its predecessor. The church belongs to the International Pilgrim Path I26 and is dedicated to Saint Andrew, whose life is depicted in frescoes by Thomas von Villach. The church’s art-historical importance rests on these 15th-century frescoes, considered masterworks of Thomas von Villach. After the Turkish destruction, rebuilding took seven years and included a new high tower finished in 1517. By the 17th century the church had become a busy pilgrimage site, with three major processions recorded each year. Inside, the nave is 28 metres long and vaulted with a star-ribbed ceiling. A rood screen separates the nave from the five-sided choir, where a 1613 high altar in black and gold holds statues of Saint Andrew and two late-Gothic angel candelabra. The sacristy door carries carved decoration from 1891, and the glassed porch provides a quiet space for reflection beside the Gailitz stream.