Filialkirche hll. Philippus und Jakobus, Briefelsdorf

The Roman Catholic branch church in Briefelsdorf stands on a hill east of Maltschach Lake in the Feldkirchen district. It is dedicated to the apostles Philip and James the Less and first appears in records from 1531. The building and its surrounding cemetery are protected as a listed monument. The small Gothic structure dates from the fourteenth century and has a narrow choir, a steep roof covered with stone slabs, and a bell tower at the east end. Inside, a pointed arch separates the flat-roofed nave from the vaulted choir. The west gallery carries painted figures of Christ and the twelve apostles. The high altar from the mid-seventeenth century shows Philip with a cross and book, and James the Greater with pilgrim symbols. The left side altar of 1713 holds a statue of Saint Catherine framed by ornate carvings. The right side altar, in the Rococo style of 1751, contains a popular figure of John the Baptist. Above the archway hangs a late Gothic crucifixion group from the early sixteenth century. The churchyard walls enclose a peaceful spot beside the lake.