South Tyrol's churches and monasteries offer a glimpse into the region's rich cultural and religious heritage. From ancient Romanesque structures to charming mountain sanctuaries, each site boasts exquisite architecture, intricate frescoes, and serene surroundings. Whether it's the awe-inspiring Brixen Cathedral or the picturesque Novacella Abbey, these sacred places invite visitors to marvel at their historical significance and find moments of tranquility amidst South Tyrol's breathtaking landscapes.
The St. Blasius Church in the fraction Verschneid celebrates its patronage with the distribution of the Blasius blessing on February 3rd. The tower is still Romanesque, the church was enlarged and gothicised around 1500. Very expressive is the baroque fresco (1621) "Vom Gastmahl des reichen Prassers".
The parish church Maria Himmelfahrt in Meltina/Mölten celebrates its patronage on August 15th. Of its original Romanesque structure, only the lower part of the bell tower is left. The church was Gothicised in the 15th century and extended in the Renaissance style in 1651. Particularly impressive are the coronation of Mary on the high altar (late Gothic) and the Gothic predella on the side altar representing the death of Mary (from Michael Pacher's school).
The parish Church of the Assumption and the Chapel of St. Michael had to be rebuilt after the fire in 1499 and both were restored in neo-baroque style and consecrated in 1505. Around 1900, there were additional stylistic renovations in the 'Jugendstil' and the 90-meter bell tower is the tallest in the entire Tyrol. The church is open all year. Worship Sat 7 pm, Sun 8.30 am, 10 am, 7 pm
The Church of S. Ulrich was built in 1842, at the behest of the then parish priest, Martin Tappeiner and, on the altarpiece, there is an image of the Bishop of St. Ulrich.
The church was first mentioned in 1237. The main patron is the Saint James the Greater, but the church was also dedicated to St. Barbara and St. Christopher. Originally, the little church was a Romanesque nave construction, which in the 15th century has been adjusted to the new gothic architectural forms. The old Gothic winged altar, also of the 15th century, is still preserved inside the church.
The church and the Capuchin monastery in Silandro/Schlanders date back to 1644. The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and, on the main altar, there is a 17th century image portraying Christ's baptism.
Capuchin fathers lived in the monastery until May 2018, since June 2018 missionaries of St. Francis de Sales manage the monastery.
The church is open all year. Worship Sun 8 am, on workdays 9 am
The Paul Schuster Bild on the only way from Vilpiano to Meltina is located sideways to Salonetto and was built in 1900 as a sign of gratefulness towards the protection of Mary.
Opinions differ as to its founding date and one legend has it that it was built by a knight. In 1376, the chruch and annex were taken over by the Monte Maria Abbey, but today only the ruins of the walls remain.
The church is a Baroque building from the year 1671, by the master builder Franz Delai. Of particular interest are the Pietà, from around 1415, and the baptismal font (circa 1380-1400). In the cemetery chapel at the original shrine, there are significant Gothic frescoes from the year 1415.
The church of St. John in Niederrasen is already mentioned in 1070. Today's church was built in 1822 (late baroque).
The Church of Visitation dates back to around 1640 and inside there is an octagonal-shaped choir enclosure, originally with stucco ornamentations. On the North-facing wall, there remains a faded fresco of St. Sebastian the martyr, which dates back to the original construction.
The Antonio chapel was consecrated on 23rd September 1704. In 1998 it was restored the last time.
The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary dates from 1499 and the side chapel was added around 1600. It had to be rebuilt after being burned down both in 1885 and in 1924. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful sacral baroque examples in the entire Venosta Valley. The church is open all year. Worship Sun 8.30 am in German
St. Johannes' Parish Church in Lasa was erected around 1200 on the site of a previous church from the Carolingian period, as evidenced by a marble fragment dating from these times. The chaotic events surrounding the brutal Swabian War saw the Romanesque church burned down in 1499, although it witnessed a Gothic rebuild a few short years later. St. Johannes Parish Church has been damaged by fire on several occasions throughout its history, with the foundation walls and workpieces of the Romanesque apse only being rediscovered in the 1970s. These were then reconstructed true to the original style.
The East wall comprises three large blind arches that resemble the profile of a Romanesque basilica. Masterful animal sculptures can be viewed all around the apse, including depictions of a lion and a ram. The altar itself is furnished with a relief that dates from the Early Middle Ages and features St. Sisinnius, St. Alexander and St. Martyrius.
Worship Sat 7.30 pm, Sun 10 am (Winter Sat 6 pm, Sun 10 am)
The Romanesque church of St. Jacob on the Langfenn is located on the highest point of the plateau Salten (1525m). It stands on prehistoric ground and could probably tell exciting and captivating stories from the past . On the altar there are St. Jacob, the protector of the hikers, and the two patron saints of pest Rochus and Sebastian.
The Church of the Assumption is a modest little chapel that was probably built sometime during the 1860's and was refurbished in 1984.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was built by Tanas between 1895 and 1897 in neo-romantic style and the sculptures are the work of Anton Santifaller. On the main altar, there are the Madonna and St. Joseph, in adoration of the Heart of Jesus. Worship Sunday 8.30 am in German
The church from St. Georgen is situated on a very historical plateau close to Versein. Numerous findings from the Bronze Age testify the prehistoric settlement of this beautiful place. The carved Gothic altar is ornamented by the statues of Saint Georg, Saint Oswald and Saint Leonhard.
The little St. Joseph Church in Ronchi - “Kirche St. Joseph in Rungg” in German, “Chiesa di San Giuseppe a Ronchi” in Italian - is, compared to the other churches in the surroundings of Lake Caldaro, a more recent construction. The building was planned in 1900 by Ferdinand Mungenast, an Austrian architect, who designed also other significant buildings in Bolzano and the Oltradige area, such as the Grandhotel d’Appiano or the St. Joseph Church in Frangarto. Seven years after its edification in 1901, the St. Joseph Church was embellished with a steeple.
Nowadays, the sacred building presents itself with a two-bay groined vault, a polygonal choir termination and a church tower with a pointed spire. In 1977 the church was placed under monumental protection. Worth seeing are above all the artworks by Ferdinand Stuflesser (1855 - 1926), a famous sculptor from the Val Gardena valley in South Tyrol: the altar with the statues of St. Joseph with Jesus the child and St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers and deaf people, as well as St. Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, the national patron saint of Spain.
Above the church entrance there is the statue of St. Anthony of Padua, venerated as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items. It is located in the hamlet of Ronchi (Rungg), which can be found along the South Tyrolean Wine Road after the centre of Termeno and before the wine village of Cortaccia. Also the public bus stops there.
The St. Ulrich-Kirchlein in Gschleier gives hikers a beautiful view over the surrounding mountains. The originally very simple Romanesque construction was rebuilt in 1859. The altarpiece of the holy Bishop Ulrich was painted by the painter Psenner from Ums.
At St. Ulrich-chapel in Gschleier the hiker enjoys a magnificent view of the surrounding mountain world. The original simple Romanesque building was renovated in 1859. The altarpiece with Bishop Ulrich was painted by artist Psenner from Ums.
The church of Pineta is the youngest in the surroundings of Laives/Leifers. The building process began on 15th september 1963. Since building a church was extremely expensive, lots of people helped voluntarily. The first mess was celebrated in 1969, even though the church wasn't finished yet and there were no benches.
Mentioned as early as 1178, in the later 17th century the church was extended and embellished with stucco. The tower with onion dome dates from this period. The four beautiful Baroque altars and pulpit were built by the Passeirer Malerschule school of painting.
The San Vigilio/St.Vigil church is dedicated to Saint Vigilio and was rebuilt in Rococo style between 1781 and 1782. The frescoes are from Matthäus Günther.
The Church of the Sacred Spirit is a 14th century gothic construction, which, in 1499, was destroyed in a great fire and was subsequently rebuilt in 1514. The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and houses several frescos dating to the 13th and 16th centuries. The church of the Sacred Spirit is a typical construction of the period complete with portal, inset windows, marble cornerstones and choir stall.
With a height of 86 metres, this church's bell tower is the tallest steeple built of stone in South Tyrol. In the early 20th century the medieval nave made place for the present design by the architect Franz Mayr, though the Gothic chancel har remained with its frescoes. The martyrdom of the curch's patron saints Julitta and Quiricus is depicted in a fresco cycle on the southern wall.
It is said that the Church of Maria Lourdes was built due to the fact that, on 15th June 1885 in that very spot, a cart fell off a bridge killing Benedict Edler von Vintschgau, of Merano. His wife had the chapel built in his memory, dedicating it to the Virgin Mary. The parish priest, Ortner, later had a new church built in neo-romantic style in honour of the Madonna of Lourdes and it remains a place of pilgrimage even today.
The most prominent artwork of Tramin and at the same time one of the finest masterpieces of Tyrolean art can be found in the small St. Jakob church situated on a hill above the village.
It contains a well- preserved Romanescue fresco cycle dating back to about 1220. The figures portrayedin the colourful frescoes are quite atypical in painting since they are usually represented as stone sculptures. In fact, on the walls of the small chancel you can admire bizarre hybrid creatures with both human an beastly attributes, fabulous figures emanating from the myths of medieval times. They all seem to represent the sinful antagonism of the overlying scenes showing a graceful depiction of the Twelve Apostels with the enthroned Crist in the Mandorla, the almond- shaped aureole.
The southern annex of the chapel contains yet another jewel: here the painter Ambrosius Gander executed some bright and valuable murals, amongst which the well-known legend of the Pilgrims. The inscription tells us that these paintings were completed 1441.
The Romanesque St. Anna church, the cemetery church, is probably as old as the Pfarrkirche. On its wooden altar it accommodates a very precious sculpture: the Pieta cast out of stone (1440)
The church was built around 1400, especially the polygonal choir and the six-armed fan vault with an Agnus Die on the round keystone probably date from this time. The nave was covered with a simple star vault around 1500. The interior decoration is neo-Gothic. Only the Stations of the Cross and the statue of St. Wolfgang date from the Baroque period.
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