St. Thomas, Parish church in Wallenfels, Germany

St. Thomas is a neo-Gothic parish church of light tan sandstone blocks on the Schlossberg slope east above Wallenfels' centre. A square west tower with a steep grey pyramidal spire, two clock faces and narrow louvered openings fronts a five-bay nave under a dark grey roof. The interior has a flat wooden ceiling, a polygonal choir lit by four pointed-arch windows, and three gilded altarpieces against a white wall.

The medieval church, elevated to an independent parish in 1549, was burned in 1553 during the Second Margrave War and again damaged by fire in 1634 in the Thirty Years' War. It was demolished in 1861 and the slope behind it cut away; the cornerstone of the neo-Gothic replacement was laid on 18 May 1861. Master mason Herzog of Schmölz and carpenter Jasse of Kronach built it to plans by the Kronach building assistant Lermann, and Archbishop Michael von Deinlein of Bamberg consecrated it on 15 August 1869.

The church is dedicated to Saint Thomas, a dedication reflected in its interior decorations and religious imagery. Visitors can observe how the altars and artworks throughout the space emphasize the saint's importance to the local community.

The interior is open to visitors during regular hours and allows time for a relaxed walk through the building. Those interested in the architecture or altars should plan enough time to explore, keeping in mind that natural light through the pointed windows changes throughout the day.

The two side altars, made in 1897 by the Staffelstein artist Johann Stengel, are winged altars whose panels can be closed in Lent. Their reverse sides then show paintings on a gold ground: Jesus on the Mount of Olives and the Flagellation on the left altar, Christ carrying the cross on the right.