What it is
The present church was built in the 15th century after an earthquake in 1348 destroyed its predecessor, and it served for a time as a Protestant church during the Reformation. The wide hall interior has a fine net vault, a stone pulpit of 1555 and tombs of the Khevenhüller family, powerful local lords in the service of the bishops of Bamberg, who ruled Villach until 1759. The free-standing tower is separated from the church, a reminder of the earthquake damage.
The tower is open to climb in the warmer months, and from the top the view reaches over the town to the Dobratsch and the Karawanken on the Slovenian border.
Getting there by bus
Freihausplatz and Ringmauergasse, both within about 150–180 metres, are served by city lines 2, 4, 7, 8, 9 and M2, and Ringmauergasse also by 1A and the 5A–5C routes. The Hauptbahnhof is about 12 minutes' walk away across the Drau.
The church stands at the upper end of the Hauptplatz, so it is easy to combine with a walk through the old town.
