The „Cathedral of the Wachau“
In 1014, emperor Henry II. gave a place in Krems to the Bishop of Passau to establish a church and a presbytery there. This donation is the birth date of today‘s St. Vitus Church of Krems.
The only portion left of the old church is the basis of the bell tower (as seen on the picture). In the early 17th century, the church was in decay: the majority of the Krems citizens were of Lutheran faith and therefore went to the Protestant churches in town. The Catholic Counterreformation called for a respectable church and that is why St. Vitus Church was completely newly built within only 15 years. Because of this historic backgrond, this church is one of the earliest Baroque churches north of the Alps!
The interior offers several 18th century-masterpieces from famous Austrian Baroque painters like Johann Georg Schmidt (the „Viennese Schmidt“), Martin Johann Schmidt („the Krems Schmidt“), Marin(o) Altomonte and Franz Anton Maulpertsch. So, St. Vitus Church is not only the parish church of Krems, but also a true Baroque treasure chamber and very deservedly it was awarded the honorary title „Cathedral of the Wachau“!