Churches and monasteries

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 church Maria of Loreto, a very well maintained, in 1700 accomodated in the present form of worship, was built by the owners of "Ahrner Handel". The church "The Black Madonna" is also visited by pilgrims today.

The parish church "Our Lady in the Moss," located in the south of Sterzing, is considered one of the largest in the Alpine region. It is a late Gothic structure (choir 1417-1451, nave 1497-1524). White marble was used for the massive pillars inside. Significant is the winged altar by the Ulm master Hans Multscher (details in the nearby Multscher Museum) and many other artworks. Particularly richly decorated is the south portal of the church designed by Mattheis Stöberl, with a  commemorative inscription marking the laying of the foundation stone for the nave by Maximilian I in 1497. The Baroque frescoes date back to Adam Mölk and were completed in 1753.

Postumia Viktorina stone: Roman tombstone found in 1497 during excavations for the foundations of the parish church. It is now located inside the church on the north side.

Due to population growth, the little church of San Giacomo/St. Jakob had become far too small. So it became necessary to think about a new church in the centre of the village. The foundation stone was laid in 1951 and the church was completed in 1954. In 1964, ten years after its completion and opening, the church was consecrated by Bishop Josef Gargitter.

The church in St. Jakob in der Mahr was consecrated in 1428 to the patron of the pilgrims. On the inside, the artistic decor is remarkable: in the vault the lamb God, surrounded by 16 arms, such as Brixen, Kärnten, Austria and many local aristocratic families. The representation of the legend of Jakob in the choir is from the painter- school of Master Leonhard von Brixen.

It was probably originally the Palatine Chapel and was enlarged several times. Later, a collegiate chapter was established there (1214), in addition to the cathedral chapter, and after its dissolution it served as a church for the pastoral care of students. The altarpieces were painted by Theophilos Pollak (around 1638). Today it is the church of popular piety, with Mary Help of Christians, Pilgrim Madonna, Madonna of the Ear of Corn, Lourdes Mother of God, St. Joseph, Rochus and Sebastian, Rita of Cascia.

The St. Jacob Church was built in a location that already in pre-Christian times was a place of worship. Today’s late Baroque church since 1775 covers a Romanic chapel and a Gothic church. The Madonna on the high altar and the three female figures on the southern side altar date from the Gothic period.

The chapel stands in the middle of the smal village Pazin. The roof and the attached wooden tower are covered with wooden shingles. In the sanctuary stands in a niche of stones, the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. Above the altar on the ceiling, in a blue star, is a maria monogram painted in gold with glowing rays. On the barrel vault a cross with the heart of Jesus is painted on blue background and decorated with golden stars.

The Church of St. John Nepomuk was built in the 17th century. It carries trains both the Renaissance and the Baroque and contains precious altars, statues and votive paintings, which recall the once flourishing pilgrimage here.

Built at the start of the 15th century in the Gothic style, the frescoes in the church are by Johannes of Bruneck and date from around 1420. The crypt of the Ursuline Church is the oldest part of the entire cloister building and dates from the period around 1410; the crypt space is almost empty, but hugely atmospheric - sanctified by centuries of the silence of the dead.

Holy Mass: Mondays to Fridays at 5.30 p.m., Sundays and holidays at 10.30 a.m. (in German language)

The modest little church in Maria Saal was built in the mid-1600s and then was expanded in 1719. According to a local legend the miraculous image above the altar had originally hung in a sheep barn. Due to an ever-growing number of pilgrims then finally a church was built. Like many other churches, this one too was closed down under the reign of Joseph II. In 1847, it was re-inaugurated by prince bishop Johannes Tschiderer who celebrated his first mass in Collalbo on August 3rd 1800. Tschiderer was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

The rather particular motive, a fresco of the Madonna with an umbrella, in the round arch between presbytery and nave has contributed to this pilgrimage church’s popularity. The fresco was painted by Alexander Dejaco as an expression of gratitude for his unscathed return from World War I, leaning on the prayer “Under thy shield and protection we seek refuge, o holy mother of God”. This painting also takes on a special meaning as the Renon mountain is a rather arid area, thus its farmers would pray to the Holy Mother for rain in times of great draughts and water scarceness.  

The church was built between 1821 and 1824 under the supervision of Jakob Prantl. The frescoes were created by the local painter Josef Renzler in 1823.

In 1843, in Untersirmian, the small Heart of Jesus church was built, which is the first of a  few churches, which were consecrated to the heart of Jesus. The simple building houses a Baroque altar from the 18th Century (1713). The tower was finished in 1857.

The Vigilius/Blasiuskirche church in Morter is of pre-roman origin and it ranks among the oldest and most important religious buildings in the Venostaregion. Its "oriental" appearing architecture is particularly striking, while the consecration inscription reveals the year 1080. The church is one of the cultural centres of the “Stairway to Heaven” project.

The key can be collected from the hotel at MARTIN's in Morter 
+39 0473 742 049

A beautifully restored Baroque church featuring an onion-domed steeple.
The original church was consecrated in 1370. Inside, the high altar displays a depiction of the Baptism of Jesus, while the side altar features a painting of St. Elisabeth by Franz Unterberger (1707–1776).

Holy Mass in Italian:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:00 AM
Saturday at 6:00 PM
Sundays and ecclesiastical holidays at 6:00 PM (during July, August, and the Christmas season)

The church of Saint Sebastian at Plazzoles was rebuild in 1889/90, after the old church was totaly destroied by fire.

The old Romanesque parish church, of which only very little remains today, got up at the same place as today's building, but it was much smaller and was across the present church building, facing east. In 1714 the tower was placed a Baroque onion. 1842-1845 was built on the site of the old, the new, classicist parish church. The parish church belongs to the biggest columnless church buildings in South Tyrol: She is 40 m long and 15,6 m wide in the ship. For her great she's also called the "cathedral on the mountain". Josef Arnold and his sons painted the blanket areas in 1844. The frescos show conditions of Stephanus and Laurentius' lifes. The altarpiece of the high altar shows Maria with the Jesus and the two deacons Stephanus and Laurentius. On the blanket are four smaller paintings with scenes from the Gospel and the four evangelists.

Since the second century, there is a church on the hill in S. Valburga / St. Walburg. It is believed that their location dates back to an even earlier sanctuary. The tower and apse are Romanesque in style and date back to the 12th century. At the end of the 15th century, the windows were raised and equipped with pointed arches, which enlarged the formerly round apse and transformed it into a Gothic presbytery. In 1840 the nave was extended, in 1867 the bells were renewed. The high altarpiece represents Saint Walburg, the two side altars are dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. Above the bow you can see a painting by Peter Fellin from Meran. From the same painter are also the murals of the patron saint of St. Walburg and those of her uncle, St. Boniface. Legend has it that the church has been relocated to the center of the village time and time again, but Saint Walburg has always returned to its hilltop location.

The castle chapel of St. Stephen in Morter, or the sistine chapel of the Venosta Valley as it is also known, dates back to 1487, and certainly does rank among one of the most remarkable churches in the Southern Tyrol. Although the tiny church appears simple and unassuming from the outside, the magnificent frescoes in the interior are an absolute must for those who are interested in art and culture.

Open every Friday + Saturday from 14.30-17.30 (April-October).

The parish church of St. Gertrude in Magrè sull Strada del Vino is one of the most curious churches in Bassa Atesina, since the church tower is separated from the nave by a street. This, however, was not always the case. The church was first documented in the year 1343; at this time, the nave was located next to the tower and was considerably smaller than it is today. In 1466, the church was rebuilt and the church tower, which contains two beautiful bells from the 16th century, was made taller in 1513. At the beginning of the 17th century, the rectory was built and building on a larger parish church was begun. For lack of space, the church was built on the other side of the street, which led to its separation from the tower. The new church was dedicated to St. Gertrude and the old building was torn down. The baroque interior of the St. Gertrude parish church is one of the most beautiful in Alto Adige. It is very bright and clearly structured. The altar wall is made of stucco marble and shows a fresco of St. Gertrude. The only original furnishings which remain are the side altars, certain sculptures and some paintings.

The church St. Valentine dates back to 1303 and the nave as well as the bell tower are built in Romanesque style. Probably there was already a previous church at this position around 1090. While the majority of the frescoes inside the church date back to the 15th century, the oldest ones were painted in the 14th century. Exceptional is the Gothic winged altarpiece, an oeuvre by Hans Klocker from 1500.

This little church is located in Maia Alta (Obermais), below Labers Castle and near the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. Because of its picturesque location surrounded by orchards and fields, it is a popular hiking destination. It is dedicated to St. Valentine, who was engaged as a messenger of faith in the region in the fifth century and was buried in the mortuary chapel of San Zeno (Zenoburg) Castle.

The gothical building was established between 1467 and 1470 of master Jörg. From the outside on recognize the simple portal, the small pyramid-shaped ridge turret and that gothical five-eighth choir with the four windows.

Church from the 13th century. Remnants of mural from the 14th century on the facade. Remains of a wooden church from the time around 800 AD, the only one south of the Alps. Only open during masses.

It is the Cathedral of the Bolzano Bozen- Bressanone Brixen Diocese. It conceals the remains of an early Christian, Medieval and Romanesque (1180) basilica. A hundred years later works are commenced to build a new imposing building which is completed around 1420 by combining the expertise of workers of Lombardy with the gothic style brought by the Swabian expertise over the decades. The bell tower stand over the square, 65 metres tall, with a spire in openwork in sandstone by the Swabian architect Hans Lutz von Schussenried, who completed it between 1501 and 1519. To see: the cross built in Veronese style, the "Wine door", the Romanesque Portal with porch lions, the rose window, the fresco "Virgin with child" credited to Friedrich Pacher, inside the gothic pulpit, the baroque Chapel of the Three Maries.

To the south of the cloister is the chapel of St. John with its unobtrusive exterior, originally probably the house chapel of the bishop, later the baptistery. It has two floors and is decorated with precious frescoes from the romanesque (1250), early (around 1320) and high gothic (1st century of the 15th century). According to tradition, the Synod of Bishops met here in 1048, which Emperor Henry IV had convened in the course of the investiture conflict in order to have Pope Gregory VII deposed and elevate Clement III to the position of antipope

This chapel of pilgrimage is situated on the southern slope of the Spinges mountain. Its simple construction dates back to 1641, and was built by the curate Georg Stocker. There is a painting in the chapel, depicting the scene of Jesus bidding the Virgin Mary farewell.

The first chuch building, which was mentioned in 1180, didn't survive, but its Gothic elements were integrated in the current construction. Startin from 1431 the church was several times restored and consercrated again. The original choir, the ogive topped main entrance on the west side (with the original mason's mark) and the bell tower were preserved from the old building.

The late Gothic church of Colfosco, with the Sella Massif in the background, is a popular photo motif of the Dolomites.

The parish church of St. Vigil was first mentioned in 1419. In the following years it was restored and expanded several times.

Particularly interesting are the neo-Gothic lobby on the outer facade with a grooved and beveled pointed arch portal, the bulbous spire and the church altar. This dates from the late 19th century and is from the local artist Johann Valentin - Badia. In the middle niche of the altar there is an 18th century picture of the Virgin Mary and on the sides there are the statues of St. Vigilius and St. Kassian. For safety reasons, the valuable statue of St. Vigilius has been replaced with a copy.

The chapel was built in 1973 by the neighbors. It retains a statue of the Madonna of Lourdes from the parish church of Oberrasen / Rasun di Sopra.