Johanniter Chapel

The basement of the tower has large stone blocks that are similar to the lower zone of the tower of St Laurence's Basilica.

It can therefore not be ruled out that these are stones from the destroyed Lauriacum.

The tower has raised crosses in the plaster on the south and north sides, which are interpreted by researchers as St John's crosses.

The Wallseer family, who received the Burghut, court and toll at Enns as a pledge from the sovereign in 1309, built a pilgrims' hospice in Enns between 1326 and 1338. It consisted of the hospice and the chapel in the Frauenturm tower. At the time, Enns was located on the European Way of St James, which travelled from Gdansk via Prague and Freistadt, continuing westwards from Enns through Switzerland, France and the north of Spain to Santiago de Compostela.

The chapel can be reached via a staircase on the outside of the tower, which is typical of a St John's hospice. (Visit during the city tours, otherwise you can get a key for 15 minutes from the tourist information centre). The interior impresses with its wall paintings in mixed technique, which are attributed to the St Florian school of painting and dated between 1320 and 1360. The Gothic vault has a blue, starry sky, cross ribs decorated in different colours with a keystone. The south wall: St Laurentius, patron saint of the poor and needy, to the left of the window. First figure to the right of the window: St Dorothea, patron saint of gardeners, newlyweds and women in labour. She carries a basket of apples and roses as an attribute. Second figure: St Martha of Bethany, patron saint of housewives, cooks and maids. Her attribute is the dragon Tarascus, which, according to legend, she defeated in the Rhone Valley with a cross and holy water and carried to Arles on her belt.

The east wall: Eight scenes of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus arranged in three rows one above the other. However, the chronologically last event (resurrection) of the cycle is placed at the top. Symbolic meaning: Victory over suffering and death through the Saviour. The individual pictures show the following scenes: Resurrection, the prayer on the Mount of Olives, Judas' betrayal, Christ before Pilate, the scourging of Christ, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion and the descent from the cross.

The north wall: Christ crucified on the tree of life. The branches form numerous medallions containing small bust portraits, probably of prophets and ancestors of Christ.

The west wall: numerous, poorly preserved medallions with bust portraits of unknown persons (depictions of saints?).

Visit as part of a guided tour!
Registration: Tourismus & Stadtmarketing Enns
07223/82777, info.enns@oberoesterreich.at, www.enns.at