Church of St. Nikolaus, Lockenhaus 1.63

The Church of Saints Nicholas is an early Baroque parish church located in the Güns Valley in Lockenhaus, in the Austrian state of Burgenland. It was built during the period of 1655 to 1669. Commissioned by Franz III. Nádasdy, the church was entrusted to the Augustinians and was dedicated to both St. Nicholas of Myra and St. Nicholas of Tonentino, in reference to the role of Fr. Nicholas Donellan in Nädasdy's conversion to the Catholic faith. The parish church overlooks the town's main square.HistoryCount Nikolaus "Miklós" of Esterházy (1583–1645), palatine of Hungary, made a lot of efforts to win his relative and neighbour Franz III. Nádasdy (1621–1671) over to the Catholic faith. After visiting Italy and meeting with Fr Nicholas Donellan, an Augustinian from Vienna, the 22-year-old Nádasdy publicly declared his conversion to Catholicism on Nov. 25, 1643 in the church of Csepreg, setting in the Catholic restoration in his estates.Franz III. Nádasdy commissioned the church to Piero Orsolini of Siena, whom Nádasdy met while studying in Italy, oversaw the construction over the course of 13 years. Its construction began in 1655 and the foundation stone was laid on July 2, 1656. Progress delayed when cracks were discovered on the walls. With the building finished, consecration took place in 1669.