Short info:
- Where is the Stadtparrkirche St. Stephen? In the center of Tulln, Wiener Strasse 20
- What are the highlights? The high altar, the apostle’s gate, the choir stalls
- Does it cost entry? no
- Opening hours? Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat 8am-8pm and Sun 8am-6pm
The origins of the Tulln parish church go back to the 11th century, more precisely to July 1014. Emperor Heinrich II gave the diocese of Passau royal property for the erection of the church. The two side aisles were added in the 12th century, giving the three-aisled pillar basilica its current appearance.
The two mighty towers of the Tulln parish church, 49 meters high, shape the cityscape of Tulln from afar. Incidentally, the south tower belongs to the parish, but the north tower is owned by the municipality
The church combines several architectural styles: an Ottonian-Romanesque core faces a Gothic choir and baroque towers and baroque interior. The Romanesque west portal, the so-called Apostle’s Gate, is steeped in history. The marble altar and the magnificent choir stalls are also definitely worth seeing.
The nave was rebuilt around 1280/90. After the six-bay Romanesque building, it is now designed with five bays in the early Gothic style of the mendicant churches: Wide-span Gothic pointed arches on octagonal pillars without capitals form the arcades to the side aisles.
The marble high altar comes from the Carmelite convent in St. Pölten, which was closed in Josephine times. It was built there in 1717 and finally transferred to Tulln in 1786.
The two side altars are from the second half of the 18th century.
The organ, which has 37 registers, was built between 1958 and 1960 by the Upper Austrian Organ Building Institute in St. Florian.
The bell “Pummerin” hangs alone in the north tower, all other bells hang in the south tower. During the First World War, the old half-pummer and two small bells had to be given up for metal extraction and were melted down. During the Second World War, all the bells had to be handed in, but remained in the assembly camp and were returned after the end of the war. However, the ringing was initially not supplemented.
In 2014 St. Stephan celebrated its 1000th anniversary and for this occasion had 3 new bells cast in the Rudolf Perner foundry in Passau.
Tip: Directly behind the parish church is the Tullner Karner, which used to serve as an ossuary and chapel.