City walking tour - Krems - Former Bürgerspitalkirche

As in the Steiner Tor, the portal of this church facing Landstrasse bears the inscription “AEIOU” and the construction date 1470 as well as the history of the founding of the church that was part of the adjoining Bürgerspital, a medieval hospice. The roofed hall in Late Gothic style was erected by the burghers of the town with assistance from Emperor Friedrich III. The side of the church facing the street was designed as a decorative façade. Contrary to the usual Gothic practice, the buttresses were incorporated inside instead of projecting outward, where they would have narrowed the Landstrasse, already the main artery through town.

The cross-rib vaulting inside and the portal are fine works of Gothic craftsmanship and show affinities to the Marienkirche am Berg, today the Piaristenkirche. A tabernacle from 1470 built into one of the pillars on the south side of the nave is of particular note. It has small iron doors elaborately rendered with tin figures and leafwork lining. The main altar by Johann Bernhard Grabenberger dates to 1860/82 and features statues of St. Nicholas and St. Wolfgang by Matthias Schwanthaler.