Volume LVIII "österr. Kunsttopographie WELS"
ISBN 978-3-85028-477-6
Date of publication: 3.11.2009
The topography of art monuments in Austria was founded in 1907 by the eminent art historian Max Dvorak, at the time general custodian of the Austro-Hungarian Central Commission for Art and Historical Monuments. It is the comprehensive scientific survey carried out to record, research and document Austria's cultural monuments. This fundamental research is based on on-site findings and is dedicated to important inventories of historical monuments and to the special problems connected with the conservation of these monuments. The prerequisites for this are in-depth research into and systematic exploration of the material in hand. The richly illustrated and detailed presentation of the subject is supported by relevant sources and literature making the topography of art monuments not just an important instrument to be used in the care and preservation of ancient monuments, regional planning and maintaining the appearance of towns, but also an indispensable source for art history and all its neighbouring disciplines. Moreover, it provides valuable information for all those interested in the cultural heritage of Austria and is intended to heighten people's awareness of the country's cultural assets.
The following volumes of the topography of art monuments in Austria have already been published for the province of Upper Austria: the City of Linz (4 volumes), the political district of Braunau (out of print), judicial district of Lambach (out of print), political district of Schärding (out of print), the Benedictine Monastery of Kremsmünster and the art collections of the Augustinian Monastery of the Canons Regular at St. Florian.
Volume LVIII of the topography of art monuments in Austria is dedicated to the rural cultural landscape of the district surrounding the city of Wels. Over a period of more than thirty years not only were the art monuments in the thirteen municipalities in the vicinity of Wels recorded, but they were also “observed” with respect to their continued existence. As a result, it was possible to take into consideration and include not just all restoration work undertaken on churches, castles and rectories, but also structural alterations to the public buildings that influence the appearance of a town. In the case of rural objects – more than 2,500 farms, outbuildings and small houses have been inventoried – it was possible to record and document selected alterations only. The greatest losses are to be found in this group. The buildings of most historical interest and those most important for the appearance of the Traunviertel, Hausruck, Welser Heide districts as well as the water meadows beside the River Traun, are endangered because in many cases, they seem irreconcilable with the demands of engineered farming and the modern way of living. Since the majority of the survey was carried out in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was possible to document “lost” objects in this volume. The main focus lies, therefore, in rural architecture though it should not be forgotten that the judicial district of Wels, comprising 25 parish and subsidiary churches, ten castles and two castle-like rectories, enjoys an outstanding position in the cultural and art history of the “Land ob der Enns” (Upper Austria). It was a matter of particular concern for the publisher and author to provide proof of this.