Christmas - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2012 - 62 Euro Cent

The Carinthian pilgrimage church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary - in short "Marienkirche" or "Maria Saaler Dom" - is a Roman Catholic parish church built in the style of the late Gothic in its 15th century appearance today. An earlier testified church was probably built in the same place in the 8th century; For this reason, Maria Saal is considered one of the oldest sites of a Christian church as well as the starting point for the missionary practice of Carinthia in the so-called Carolingian period. On the history of the rectory: In the course of the 15th century, St. Mary's Church was not only literally rebuilt "from scratch", but also the chapter buildings were fortified during this period. In 1430, the transept and choir were built, and from 1450 to 1459 the nave was finally built. From 1463 Maria Saal received a keep and, in view of the threat posed by the Turks, was secured by extensive fortifications, which are still in good condition today. The two-storey round baptistery, originally built in Romanesque style, was also included. After the interior had been partially redesigned in Baroque style in the mid-17th century, on 4 November 1669 a devastating conflagration spread from the village to the church and destroyed its roof, all the bells and the high altar. The walls and the vault of the nave, however, could be saved "thank God" from collapse, so that at least the valuable interior could be largely saved from the flames. However, the significance of the church is shown impressively in the fact that after only five years, the largest part of the reconstruction had been completed, the huge roof was covered again and the newly built towers replaced the former pitched roofs with baroque onion domes. Inside, in 1714, the new high altar took its place, on which - after the removal of the mercy altarpiece - in 1787 the gothic statue of mercy was erected. However, the so-called Arndorfer Altar, the motif of the brand, did not come until a century later, in 1884, from the branch church Arndorf into the Maria Saaler Dom. The beautiful gothic winged altar was made around 1520 in the Villach Schnitzer workshop by Lukas and Heinrich Tausmann. On seven imposing panels are various scenes from the life of Mary, Mother Anna and other holy women; the excerpt on the present Christmas stamp shows the atmospheric picture "Adoration of the Christ Child".