Stadtpfarrkirche St. Johannes d.T. Groß-Siegharts

At the time "Sigharz" was founded around 1100, this village belonged to the old parish of Raabs an der Thaya - Bishop Altmann of Passau personally established its parish rights as early as 1080 with the consecration of the church of "Maria Himmelfahrt auf dem Berge".

Around 1300, when Siegharts had already become a sizeable village with over 20 houses, the "Baptistery of St. John" was built here under Weichhart von Siegharts and his brother-in-law, Pastor Weigand von Raabs. This church survived all political upheavals in the Middle Ages and early modern times, was even spared during the Thirty Years' War and remained in existence until the time of the lord of the manor, Count Johannes Christoph Ferdinand von Mallenthein. He had the 400-year-old church demolished in 1720 and the "St. John's Church" was built in its place between 1723 and 1727, which was elevated to parish church status in 1783. The building plans for the church were drawn up by Donato Felice d'Allio, who also drew the plans for Klosterneuburg Abbey. In 1727, Count Mallenthein became impoverished, partly due to excessive debt and partly due to difficulties in selling the textile goods he produced.
The construction of the church was therefore halted. Other ruling families also did not continue with the construction, so the magnificent plans of the time could not be fully realized.
Only after the war, in 1950, was it possible to complete the baroque interior due to growing prosperity.