Wilhering Abbey Church

Of all the Rococo churches that I’ve seen, Wilhering Abbey church is the Rococo-est. You can see pictures and you can read books, but nothing really prepares you for the inside of this church. Other Rococo churches, like the Wieskirche, might have as much ornamentation, but they stay with a reserved palette of white and gold leaf. Not at Wilhering. Color is everywhere. It has that white & gold leaf, but adds yellow, green, purple, and so much rose-pink that it seems like they got it on sale.

Rococo is by definition over the top, excessive. It’s a hat on a hat. It’s the architectural equivalent of the final battle of a Marvel film — too many characters with not enough room, that just leaves you overawed by the sheer spectacle.

As for these characters, some of the statuary remains white, but the element that surprised me the most was the painted figures. Western art prefers that Classical white for its figurative statues. The flesh-colored paint on the angels and putti near the ceiling puts them into uncanny valley territory.

The outside of the church — firmly Baroque, but with many statues and pier capitals that are oversized — gives only the slightest clue of the cacophony inside.

We visited this church on a bike tour down the Danube from Passau to Vienna. If you’re anywhere nearby, please make the effort to look in.