Description
St. John's Church in Petronell, usually referred to as a round chapel, is one of the most important Romanesque round churches in Austria. During the Second Crusade, around 1150, it was probably built by the Knights Templar on a circular ground plan as a resting place for crusaders heading to the Holy Land to conquer Jerusalem. It is possible that this was the first parish church in Petronell-Carnuntum. It consists of a higher round building with a curved conical roof and a lower apse with a semi-circular end and is built in Romanesque ashlar stonework. The meter-thick outer walls conceal a passageway that served as a defense against frequent raids. The outer façade is structured by delicate half-column pilasters with capitals. In the tympanum above the entrance is the particularly interesting relief of the "Baptism of Christ in the Jordan", in which Christ is depicted as a beardless boy standing in the Jordan. John performs the baptism, on the right an angel holds the cloth ready. Above Christ is a dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit. From the 15th century, the round church served as a crypt for deceased members of the ruling family and important officials. Today it is the final resting place of the Abensperg-Traun families and occasional masses and events are held here.
Tip: Petronell-Carnuntum town walk including audio story about the round chapel!
