Parish Church of St. Georgen am Walde

Origin and history

St George's Church, an old Gothic-style building, was built in three phases. Initially it was just a chapel. The presbytery dates from the 11th century; the nave and left aisle may have been added around the 13th or 14th century. The building is boldly vaulted without being overloaded with ribs and pillars. The church is dedicated to St George.

On 16 May 1147, Bishop Reginber of Passau confirmed the foundation of Waldhausen Monastery by Otto, Count of Machland. In this document, St. Georgen am Walde is added to Waldhausen Monastery along with other parishes in the area. As Otto was the last of the family of the Lords of Machland, he handed over the majority of his possessions to his brother-in-law Reginbert of Passau. As a result, Waldhausen Monastery received the right of patronage over the parish of St Georgen am Walde from the old parish of Saxen. Otto himself joined Baumgartenberg Abbey as a priest and was buried there in 1148.

It is assumed that St. Georgen am Walde was founded at the beginning of the 4th century AD, at the time of the Diocletian persecution of Christians. Under the pressure of unrelenting and agonising torture, Christians are thought to have crossed the Danube, the border of the Roman Empire, and sought refuge inland in what were then primeval forests to the north.