Pfarrkirche Gastern

The parish church of Gastern stands on a slight rise in the south-west of the village, part of the market town in Waidhofen an der Thaya district. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours and belongs to the deanery of Waidhofen an der Thaya within the diocese of St Pölten. The building has been listed as a protected monument since the 20th century. The present church dates from 1904–05 when Richard Jordan supervised its construction in the neo-Romanesque style. Earlier records mention a church on the site by the late 12th century, and it became a parish in 1784 after being a branch of Thaya parish. Three major restorations took place in the 20th century, most recently in 1978. Inside, the long nave is covered by a wooden ceiling and ends in a gently recessed apse. The high altar, dating from the building’s construction, features statues of Saint Leopold, Saint Martin and Saint Floria. The former pulpit’s Evangelist reliefs now adorn the people’s altar and ambo. Outside, the granite tower at the south-east corner has paired louvred openings and a stone pyramid roof.