Brother made of clay

The Purbach Turk has a twin!

Petra, Richard and Gitti Leidl with ceramicist Gabi Palkovits.(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

The original is located at Schulgasse 9, while his "brother" is a little further on.

Almost everyone knows the legend of the Purbach Turk, who hid in the chimney and eventually became a popular member of the community. After his death, his godfather had a stone bust with a large turban on his head erected on the chimney in his memory. It still stands there today - at the Türkenkeller in Schulgasse 9 - and is a popular sight for visitors.

The original at the Türkenteller has now been painted white.(Bild: tuerkenkeller.at)

There has recently been a second Türken in Purbach. It has moved into the Buschenschank in the inner courtyard. For 25 years, the Leidls have had a wall with a chimney behind the tavern as decoration. "I always said I'd have a Turkish restaurant one day," laughs landlord Richard Leidl. Would it have happened without his mother and Gabi Palkovits? We don't know! In any case, his mother needed a proper gift for her son's half-birthday - and commissioned Gabi Palkovits, an artist and former kindergarten director who loved making pottery with her children, to make her own Turk.

The smaller brother made of Stoober clay is in the Leidl family's tavern.(Bild: Gabi Palkovits)

The "brother" made of Stoober clay is now standing on the chimney behind the bar and everyone is happy. Richard, because he finally has his Turk for the chimney and the guests, because it's nice to have another Turk from Purbach.