Page 203 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

UPPER A USTRIA  201

Austria. There is also an Jakob Prandtauer (1660–1726)
interesting permanent
exhibition in the church Austria’s outstanding architect of the Baroque, Prandtauer
called “Jesus on the Road”. specialized in sacred buildings and shaped the present look of
several medieval abbeys. His greatest
masterpiece is generally agreed to be
the Benedictine abbey in Melk (see pp146–
7). He also created the church of the
Carmelite nuns in St Pölten, and gave a
Baroque face to the Augustinian abbey in
St Florian and the Benedictine abbey in
Kremsmünster. Distinctive features of his
work are the variety of forms he used, and
the way in which he blended architecture
with the surrounding
countryside. Jakob Prandtauer

with historic houses. On its 7 Schärding
east side stands the town hall, Road map D3. * 4,900. @
with a carved fountain. n (07712) 4300. ∑ schaerding.at
The 15th-century Katharinen-
münster, the church of This town on the banks of
Statue on the splendid wooden altar in St Catherine, on the southwest the Inn river was, until 1779,
Kefermarkt church side of the square, was altered owned by the Bavarian family
in the Baroque style by Johann of Wittelsbach, whose influence
Michael Prunner. The altar can be seen in the local archi-
6 Freistadt paintings are the work of Carlo tecture. Schärding’s most
Carlone. The castle, not far from beautiful feature is Stadtplatz,
Road map E3. * 7,500. £ @
n Hauptplatz 1, (07942) 75700-30. the main square, was built in the central square cut in half
∑ freistadt.at 1397 for the widow of Prince by buildings. At the north end
Albert III. It was devastated by a of the upper square, Silberzeile
Freistadt, the largest town in fire in 1888 and subsequently is a row of beautiful houses with
the Mühlviertel region, was turned into a military barracks. gabled roofs. It is overslooked
once the last border fortress The building now houses the by the vast church of St George
on the route leading from the Schlossmuseum, a regional with a grand steeple. Little of
Alpine countries to Bohemia. museum holding a large the old castle apart from the
Much of the medieval town collection of glass paintings, gateway and moat remains
wall has survived to this day, along with 11th-century pottery here. The gate way houses a
including several bastions and and handicrafts. regional museum with a late-
two impressive gateways; one Gothic Madonna, a beautiful
of these, the late-Gothic Linzer E Schlossmuseum crucifix and sculptures by
Tor, is the symbol of the town. Schlosshof 2. Johann Peter Schwanthaler
The focal point of the old Tel (07942) 72 274. the Elder (1720–95).
town centre, the rectangular Open 9am–noon,
Hauptplatz, is lined 2–5pm Mon–Fri. &

Silberzeile, a row of pretty and colourful gabled houses in the Stadtplatz in Schärding

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