The Hohentauern parish church
Here you will find all the information about the history and architecture of the parish church
History of the parish church of St Bartholomew
The first settlement in the Niedere Tauern region dates back to around 1000 BC. The settlement around the pass crossing (Taurus Inferior) appears in documents in 1140 AD. The name Thauern is of Celtic origin and means "a crossing in the mountains".
At 1,274 metres above sea level, our mountain village of Hohentauern is the highest alpine village in the Rottenmanner Tauern. Two mines that have been closed since 1997 and 1994 respectively - magnesite and graphite mines - bear witness to Hohentauern's valuable mineral deposits from time immemorial; magnesite mining was resumed a few years ago in open-cast mining.
The mountain church with the mountain cemetery in Hohentauern is dedicated to St Bartholomew the Apostle (the first church building dates back to 1363). The current shape of the little church dates back to around 1490, with the tower bulb dating back to the Baroque period.
Patrocinium: St Bartholomew, 24 August
Parish err..: 1892 (Vicariate 1760)
Registers: 1760
Parish church gen: 1363 (1785 – 1790)
VIRTUAL TOUR THROUGH THE PARISH CHURCH
Architecture
During a renovation in 1956, Gothic frescoes dating back to 1492 were uncovered.
The interior of the church combines Baroque and Gothic styles. The ornate Gothic vaulting and walls of the chancel, the church pulpit and the high altar are in the Baroque style and feature carved elements. Around 1885, the artist Siegmund Wagner created five series of pictures of the four evangelists and Jesus Christ as the "Good Shepherd" on the church pulpit.
The high altar with its beautiful carvings (around 1750) is attributed to Josef Stammel, a carving artist who worked at Admont Abbey. The tower cross with weathercock dates from the 16th century. There are three bells in the tower. The oldest tower bell was cast between 1438 and 1458 by Hans Mitter, a bell founder in Judenburg (150kg, 66cm diameter).
Hohentauern was elevated to a parish in 1892 and the feast of the church and parish patron saint - St Bartholomew - is celebrated on the Sunday before or after the saint's feast day, 24 August.
