St. Nikolaus und Stephanus, Catholic parish church in Eggenfelden, Bavaria, Germany

St. Nikolaus and Stephanus is a brick parish church with Gothic architecture in Eggenfelden. The building stands out for its 77-meter bell tower and elaborately designed vaults with complex rib patterns throughout the interior.

The parish is documented from 1254, when a priest named Hainric is recorded; a Romanesque predecessor building on the site was proven archaeologically in 1996. Construction of the present late Gothic church began shortly after 1400, possibly under Stephan Krumenauer, and a first consecration took place in 1444. The 77-metre tower was finished in 1519 and housed a fire watch until 1879.

The side chapels between the buttresses were built for the town's guilds, each of which had its own chapel and helped pay for the church. Inside, look for the group of Christ and the Twelve Apostles, carved around 1525 by Mathäus Kriniß of Mühldorf, and the Coronation of Mary, made around 1480 and attributed to Heinrich Helmschrot of Landshut.

The interior can be entered through side entrances or the main portal and offers space to walk around and view the architecture. The parish office is open at specific times, so it's wise to check the hours before visiting.

The original three-nave structure was fundamentally reshaped in 1435 when five naves were created by adding side chapels between existing buttresses. This expansion shows how the community adapted the building to meet growing needs.