Johanneskirche, Harmannstein, Catholic chapel in Großschönau, Austria
Johanneskirche is a small stone chapel located on the forested Johannisberg mountain near Großschönau at an elevation of about 839 meters. The simple building with a pitched roof sits surrounded by dense woods and feels remote and sheltered.
The building was constructed between 1150 and 1160 as a chapel for the fortress of Hadmar II von Kuenring, with first written records appearing in 1162. This origin as a castle chapel shaped its character for centuries to come.
The high altar shows the baptism of Jesus by Saint John the Baptist and was made around 1727 by a carpenter from Groß-Gerungs. The carved work still shapes the interior today and tells its story through detailed craftsmanship.
Visitors can obtain the church key from the Zeilinger family at the last farmhouse before the chapel, located at Harmannstein number 9. The location is only accessible on foot and requires a short walk through the forest to reach.
The chancel displays late Gothic frescoes of the Heavenly Jerusalem from the Apocalypse and depicts Saint Christopher threatened by a red scorpion. These rare wall paintings give the interior an unusual mystical quality.
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