Guided Tour of the Winged Altar at St. Michael ob Rauchenödt

Even from a distance, you can see the St. Michael branch church in the barren landscape of the Mühlviertel, standing alone on a hilltop near the small village of Rauchenödt.

The church houses a late-Gothic gem: the winged altar, created around 1517. Unlike many other altars from this period, it has undergone very few changes over time, which makes it particularly interesting for art lovers. The shrine contains statues of Saint Michael, the church’s patron saint; Saint Nicholas, patron saint of the Grünbach parish; and Saint Stephen, patron saint of the Diocese of Passau. The four panels on the wings depict scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas (left) and Saint Stephen (right). They were likely created by different artisans than the figures in the shrine. Experts, however, believe that the altar was crafted in workshops in the region. The backs of the wings feature magnificent paintings with the expressiveness and colors characteristic of the Gothic style.