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Beautiful view to the Alps, the church is also a highlight

A very beautiful medieval town square. Highlights include Heini Staudinger's GEA store and the Lubinger pastry shop.

The three late Gothic winged altars make Waldburg a treasure of art history. Hardly anywhere else in Austria can you find three Gothic winged altars at once like the church in Waldburg near Freistadt. The church is dominated by the high altar with the Virgin Mary, Saint Catherine, and the patron saint, Mary Magdalene. The winged reliefs depict her in scenes of her penitential life. The outer wings and the shrine's back wall depict the Easter cycle in vivid panel paintings. The two carved side altars are dedicated to Saint Lawrence and Saint Wolfgang. The rather simple depiction of the figures still holds a special appeal for many viewers today. The figures appear very lifelike, which was probably highly appreciated by the congregation at the time of their creation (1517-1523). These works are of exceptional artistic value and represent a fine example of deeply felt popular piety.

The patronage of "Our Lady of the Snows" – which, in my experience, is not all that common – indicates that this pilgrimage church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, but not, as is usually the case, associated with one of her classic feast days (such as the Name of Mary, the Nativity, the Assumption, or as Queen of the Rosary). Rather, the search for the origin of "Our Lady of the Snows" leads us far back in church history to the fourth or fifth century, and geographically from here across the Alps to the Italian capital. On August 5, 363, at the site where the magnificent church of Santa Maria Maggiore stands today (Pope Francis, who died last month, was laid to rest there), the so-called "Miracle of the Snows" occurred. That is, on that day, in the middle of summer, there was snow there in the morning because Our Lady wanted a church dedicated to her built on that spot. She expressed this wish in a nighttime vision to a wealthy couple who financed the construction and to the Bishop of Rome, Pope Liberius. The Roman church has the status of a patriarchal basilica (papal basilica), and is the origin of all churches and chapels bearing this patronage. In the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, the date of August 5, the day of the church's consecration (in the year 432 by Pope Sixtus III), is a "non-obligatory memorial."

You should definitely check it out if you're here!

I grew up here and we visit Freistadt every now and then - but it's always worth a visit!!

From the castle courtyard you can walk through the romantic Schlossgässchen to Böhmergasse

Leopoldschlag is a village in Upper Austria's Freistadt District, near the border with the Czech Republic. The area is characterized by rolling hills and dense forests, offering opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking and cycling. The town center features a late Gothic parish church dedicated to St. George and a historic Pranger — a medieval pillar used for public punishment — that dates back to the 16th century and reflects the towns rich history.