Dom vom Landl

One of the landmarks of the market town of Gaspoltshofen is certainly the parish church of St Laurentius - also known as the Dom vom Landl.

From the outside, this church appears mighty and elegant, the high windows softening the weight of the facades in a pleasant way. The 42 metre high tower rises from the vault of the west façade and is crowned by a dome. However, one has the feeling that it could be somewhat taller in relation to the mighty structure of the church.

When you enter the interior of the church, you are impressed by the size and beauty of the space. The church has a single nave and the presbytery is set back. The nave measures 22 metres in length, 12 metres in width and 19 metres in height. The presbytery is 13.5 metres long and 8.50 metres wide. The nave is vaulted by two flat suspended domes. Mighty double pilasters support the vaults. The presbytery, which was extended in 1790, is covered by a barrel vault. The walls are so thick that niches for life-size figures could be created on both sides. They divide the nave into two large bays and a narrow centre bay, which are covered with a belt vault. There is a portal on each side of the centre bay. A cross passage connects the two. Three aisles run through the length of the nave, a wide one in the centre and a narrow one on each side. The wall pillars, which are close together here, form a kind of inner vestibule for the side doors.

The special furnishings of the "cathedral":

The famous "nave pulpit" in the rare shape of the nave of St Peter, a magnificent rococo pulpit
The high altarpiece (Martyrdom of St Laurence) by Frans de Neve (1689)
Four stately side altars (altarpieces by Johann Georg Morzer)
The Gothic baptismal font (15th century)
The sacristy with an astonishingly generous amount of marquetry work (18th century)
The oil niche on the outer front (19th century)
The Pirchner organ (1995)

Guided tours of the church with commentary and short organ concerts for tour groups on request!