Page 203 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

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and appreciation of great art Jakob Prandtauer (1660–1726)
that we owe the altar’s survival.
There is also an interesting Austria’s outstanding architect of the Baroque, Prandtauer
permanent exhibition in the specialized in sacred buildings and shaped the present look of
church called “Jesus on several medieval abbeys. His greatest
the road”. masterpiece is generally agreed to be
the Benedictine Abbey in Melk. 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 vigorous
way in which he blended architecture
with the surrounding
countryside. Jakob Prandtauer

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

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

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