Lambach

Lambach, Upper Austria, market town in the district of Wels Land, alt. 367 m, pop. 3,432, area 3.74 km², mainly a residential area. Traffic junction at the point where River Ager empties into River Traun. - Youth welfare office of the Wels Land District Commission, district court, health insurance agency. Schools: Realgymnasium, Aufbau-Realgymnasium secondary schools and Handelsakademie commercial academy (run by the Benedictines), agricultural trade and vocational school. Waterworks; large carpentry shop, machine building (carpentry and industrial machines); run-of-river power station (built 1997-2000, output 13.5 MW). The Benedictine Abbey was founded in 1056 by St. Adalbero from the dynasty of the Earls of Wels-Lambach.

Romanesque collegiate church (1089 and 1233), Gothicised in 1430, redecorated in Baroque style 1652-1656. The western building in high Romanesque style contains the oldest frescoes in Austria, which date from 1080 and were discovered in 1960. The nave is separated by side chapels and double pilasters with 16 stone sculptures (1655/56) by Christoph Abraham Walter, stucco by Thomas Zeisel and ceiling frescoes (1698) by M. Steidl. Magnificent high altar by A. Beduzzi (1717) with statues by L. Mattielli, altar pictures by J. Sandrart (1652-1655); Loreto chapel (1722) by F. I. Holzinger. The monastery buildings form a U-shaped courtyard, imperial rooms with ceiling frescoes (around 1700) in the southern wing. Collegiate library, picture gallery (Altomonte, Maulbertsch, J. G. Schmidt), collection of copper plate engravings, scientific collection; the only remaining collegiate theatre in Austria (1770). Calvary church (1722) on the Pfister mountain with frescoes by W. A. Heindl; Mariahilf chapel on the Puchberg mountain (1717) with a seven-cornered foundation.

Literature: W. Luger, Die Benediktiner-Abtei Lambach, Oberösterreich, Diözese Linz, Bezirkshauptmannschaft Wels, ⁴1978; Die Botschaft der Graphik - 900 Jahre Klosterkirche Lambach, exhibition catalogue, Lambach 1989.