Churches and monasteries

The parish church of St. Florian/St. Floriano on the old imperial road north of Laag/Laghetti was first mentioned in 1189, but it dates back to around 1145. The lower part of the nave dates from the time of its first mention (1189). The choir with the accentuated towering choir loft replaced an older end in the 13th century. The church of St. Florian is a unique artistic monument. In the nave, the old Romanesque building form is still preserved. Later, an elevated transverse square was attached to this nave, which was probably intended as a domed building. A round apse was attached to it in the 12th century, the exterior decoration of which features beautiful pilaster strips and a round arch frieze with various sculptures worth seeing. From 2005 to 2008, the church was restored from the ground up. The outside area around the church was also redesigned and a parking lot was built. On May 03, 2008, the church of St. Florian was consecrated by Bishop Wilhelm Egger.

The Parish church of St. Vigilius with its Romanesque church tower was mentioned for the first time in 1337. The old baptismal font inside dates from an earlier time, from 1033. At the beginning of the 16th century, the church was remodeled and a sandstone arch was added. In 1850, the late Gothic high altar was built where the baroque altarpiece showing the martyrium of Str. Vigilius was built in. A further gem inside the Cortaccia church is the legendary crying picture of the Virgin Mary which was first exhibited on July 17, 1738 and has since been the goal of many pilgrims.

The St. George church in Graun/Corona stems from the 14th century. The tower is decorated with a newly restored fresco of St. Chritopher.

The parish church is dedicated to S. Andrea. It was mentioned first in 1215. The church was built in baroque style of sacred architecture. On the front you can see statues of the Saints Pietro and Paolo, Andrea and Nicolò and Mary.

 

The little church of Our Lady of Loreto was originally built on the left bank of the Titschenbach in the years 1719-1722 and fell victim to several floods. This led to the closure of the church in 1786. In 1795 it was reopened at the request of the local population. Masses were often celebrated here at the end of processions, asking for favourable weather, a rich harvest and the protection of the village from flooding. The church was restored in 1902 and 1994.

In 1726 a little church was dedicated to the miners of the “Pfunderer” mine. However, it was immediately too small so that today’s construction of the Early Baroque with choir and little tower was built in 1736. The secluded little church was expanded in 1934, though plundered and devastated in 1964. Until the First Wold War there had have been a weekly mass, initially Saturdays, since 1840 every Thursday. The cultural and historical altarpiece is a replica, the original altarpiece is located in the parish church to the St. Stephen. It shows the miners at work and around them the saints of the miners. (St. Daniel, evangelist John, Virgin Mother with the baby Jesus and her mother the saint Anne, as well as patron saint of the mines Barbara)

The chapel Saint Cosmas & Damian in Glen/Gleno was built in the 17th century. The architectural character is quite simple, but the chapel contains numerous artworks on the inside. One of the artworks is the votive picture marked with the year "1691." It may indicate the year of construction of the chapel.

The parish church of Cauria is dedicated to Santa Margherita. It was built in the 13th century and rebuilt in gothic style.

 

 

The Loreto Chapel is located in Kalditsch/Doladizza above Montan/Montagna and is part of the "Rothenhof." It was consecrated on September 22, 1702 by Prince Bishop Michael von Spaur. The church day is celebrated annually at the end of September with a solemn service. The high altarpiece is a magnificent work by the Val di Fiemme-based painter Giuseppe Alberti. The inscription on the church roof, visible from afar, depicts a monogram of the Virgin Mary.

The Parish church of Cortina sulla Strada del Vino is dedicated to Saint Martinn. The Gothic construction dates from the beginning of the 15th century and was erected on the ruins of on older chapel. The keystone of the arch is decorated with a picture of St. Martin and the date 1474. A second keystone shows the Virgin Mary and is attributed to the end of the 16th century. Over the years, various changes have been made to the building. In 1610, the church tower was renovated, in 1996 the mosaic of St. Martin over the entryway was completed and the furnishings including the organ and the choir stalls were renovated. In spite of the many changes, many of the old treasures have survived and can still be seen in the parish church. For example, a statue of the Madonna from the 15th century and two altarpieces from the 17th century can be seen. A special gem is the old bell from the year 1449. It is one of the oldest bells in Alto Adige and was still used up until a few years ago to ring in the mass.

The Stephanus Church was originally built in Romanesque style around the year 1200. Afterwards the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style. Inside the church there's the famous winged altar, which was created around 1485 by the South-Tyrolean artist Hans Klocker. Today, this altar is one of the biggest and most beautiful winged altars of Tyrol.

The parish church of Pochi is dedicated to Sant'Orsola. The church was built in romanesque style in the 14th century, the church spire dates from this period. The gothic chancel was built in the 15th century.

 

The parish church of Neumarkt/Egna is dedicated to St. Nicholas. The Romanesque porch dates back to the 12th century and was renovated in the 15th century. The tower was built in the 13th century. The choir, built by the master stonemason Konrad von Neumarkt, is an excellent example of late Gothic architecture.

The parish church is situated in the old center of the village and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built in 1674 in order to have a second church because the Church San Pietro was often not accessible due to flooding of the Rio Nero. The architecture of the church is modest and simple. Inside, the baroque main altar with the life-size statue of Our Lady stands out. The two side altars are simple Baroque altars and dedicated to St. Anthony and St. Joseph.

In 1336 we find the first evidence of an independent Montan parish priest. Whether he already lived in this house, however, is not attested. Only in 1537/38 - Christian Seidl from Reichental in the diocese of Salzburg was parish priest at that time - is a Widum mentioned, which is described as very small, old and dilapidated.

The parish priest Alexander Giovanelli, who worked here from 1702 to 1743, rebuilt the vicarage at great expense and settled the matter with the parish and the church provost in 1734.

The frescoes, St. Nepomuk (water and bridge saint and at the same time the only saint with a star wreath) and the "Mater Dolorosa", whose worship was promoted by parish priest Alexander Giovanelli, were probably also painted at this time. In the Widum there is a panelled farmhouse parlour with an old fireplace, as well as an archive with 233 volumes and baptismal, marriage and death registers from the 16th century. These have been preserved despite looting and arson by the French.

In the cadastre of 1775, the Widumhof has a stable and barn, "torggl" (wine press), herb garden and small meadows with fruit trees, arable land and vineyards.

Belonging to the Danielhof estate, the scenically located church once belonged to the Benedictine Sonnenburg Abbey in the Puster Valley. The present structure has lancet-arch windows on the south wall and choir screens that probably date from the 14th century. In the early 15th century came fan and ribbed vaulting above wall pilasters, subsequently decorated with mural paintings. The north wall features scenes from the story of St. Daniel (including Daniel in the lion’s den), donated in 1444 by a Bozen customs official. On the north wall of the nave appear Saint Catherine and consecration crosses with the hand of blessing.

The late-Gothic winged altar from 1525 is an art-historical gem. The predella relief shows the Lamentation of Christ with, to the sides, Catharine and Barbara, Margaret and Dorothy. The central shrine shows the Madonna with Child and the Saints Daniel and Chrysanthus, with Peter and Paul in bas-relief on the inner wings. When closed, the wings show the guardians of the shrine, George and Florian, as well as scenes from the life of the church’s patron saint. Restoration work was carried out in 1991 and 2012-13.

The Late Gothic parish church St. Lukan with Romanesque Tower is located in San Lugano -Trodena in the Nature Park.

The Parish Church San Biagio was built in the 11th century in romanic stile. During some conversions till the 16th century it becames a Gothic church. Particularly impressive is the statue of the Merciful Mother inside the church.

The Klösterle in St. Florian/St. Floriano was built in the 13th century as a pilgrims' hospice and offered accommodation to many travelers in the past because of its strategic location, 25 km (one day's walk) from Trento and Bolzano/Bozen. It is one of the few hospices of this type still completely preserved in Europe. It is believed that the famous painter Albrecht Dürer, on his first trip to Italy, sought a place to stay in the Klösterle because of flooding. The well-preserved unique art monument, in Romanesque style, is accessible to visitors via the Dürer path. During the summer months, events such as concerts and plays are staged there.

When malaria raged in the swampy Adige Valley in summer, the monks of the Capuchin monastery in Neumarkt moved to the so-called Klösterle in Gschnon, which is 1000 meters above sea level. Today the Klösterle is a self-catering house. In summer, it is used for retreats and spiritual exercises.

In September, the German Capuchin Order invites men up to 50 years of age to come and live in the Klösterle in Gschnon, to be active together in the mountains, to organize everyday life together, to spend time in worship, silence and prayer, and to engage in conversation.

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 castle chapel is a very special place, home to artistic treasures and at the same time hiding a small secret.

During the restoration of the castle chapel, previously unknown inscriptions came to light, recalling dramatic events of the 17th century, in which a woman venerated as a saint played a key role.
Magnificent paintings from the 17th to the 19th century depict religious scenes, also providing clues about the owners of Schenna Castle.
The castle chapel is an active part of the religious life in Schenna and is used for various celebrations throughout the church year.

At the top of a little hill you can find the small church of Favogna di Sotto, dedicated to S.Leonardo. It is surrounded by an iron which, according to a old legend, is extended for one link every seven years and when the church is completely enclosed by the chain, the end of the world is near.

The parish church of Montan/Montagna is dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The majestic façade of the church fits perfectly into the picturesque village-scape. The neo-Romanesque broad front is impressive. The tower, which dates back to the 12th / 13th century, is the oldest part of the church. The church owes its present form to a new building constructed in the 19th century (1875-1881). A special piece of equipment of the parish church is the pulpit, whose openwork sandstone tracery forms the year 1489.

The Gothic church of St. Peter, built in the 16th century, is located at the southern entrance to the village of Auer/Ora, next to the local cemetery. In past times, it was the most important church of the surrounding villages and is situated in a pit about 5 meters deep and was often inaccessible due to flooding of the nearby Rio Nero stream. It had to be uncovered again and again and was finally protected by a stone wall. Today, after restoration work in the 1970s, the church is open to the public for Holy Masses and celebrations and houses the oldest organ in South Tyrol that can still be played. It was built in 1599 by the organ builder Hans Schwarzenbach.

North tower with 13th

-century bell-tower, set deep in the ground owing to flooding by the Schwarzenbach stream, dating back to
a Romanesque predecessor that itself replaced a medieval building. Work on the present-day nave began with the late-Gothic
choir polygon in 1475: the master builder was Peter von Ursel from Tramin. The nave was completed in 1526 under Hans Lutz of

Schussenried. The presbytery façade features sandstone corner blocks, triangular pilaster strips and decorated joints. The three-
bay nave is also divided by triangular pilaster strips. There is a monumental fresco of St. Christopher dating from 1516 on the

western façade. The porch, in Renaissance style, dates back to Pastor Josef a Porta from the year 1604.
Inside the church is an early-Baroque high altar from 1621 with an altarpiece by Theophil Polack. The side altar holds a high
altarpiece by Franz Sebald Unterberger that was once in the former Chapel of St. Barbara at Castelfeder. Of rarity value are the
iron tabernacle from 1609 and the Schwarzenbach organ from 1599, the oldest in South Tyrol.

The Capuchin monastery and its small church were built between 1617 and 1620. The church has a simple design in accordance with the style and regulations of the Capuchin Order: simple in terms of furnishings, bare walls, barrel vaults, and a side chapel on the south side. The high altar is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. The pulpit and the side altars are neo-Romanesque and date back to the 19th century. The altar of the side chapel contains a statue of the mother of God with Child from the middle of the 16th century, which is said to have miraculous powers. Between 1999 and 2003, the whole complex was carefully restored. In the little church, this also led to the renewal of the windows and the benches, which – in harmony with the surroundings – are now simple and linear. Thus, the light penetrates through seven beautiful glass panes that seem to communicate with the faithful through their symbolic meaning of colors and number.

The Saint Nicholas church in Penon was first mentioned during the 14th Century. It is worth visiting the sacramental house made of sandstone, which possibly dates from around 1380 - Alto Adige's oldest example carved in stone.

Evidence of a church in this area dates back to the mid-13th century, but the construction of the building as we know it today began in 1412 when the choir loft was built by Konrad von Neumarkt. It was completed when the vault was finished at the beginning of the 16th century. The façade of the church is dominated by the bell tower, which stands above the entrance and forms a vestibule leading to the entrance portal. Next to it, a niche for donations is decorated with a fresco of a Madonna and Child, and on the west side of the tower, a small wooden roof protects a fresco of St. Christopher with the Child Jesus. The interior of the church looks light and elegant. Light streams through eight windows, four of which belong to the choir. Of particular value are the Gothic tabernacle and the pulpit base. Of the frescoes in the interior that have survived the test of time, those on the south wall are attributed to the painter Konrad Waider at the beginning of the 16th century. Coat of arms paintings of the Payr of Caldiff and Khuen mark their tombs on the north side of the nave. In 1767, the church was desecrated because the Trudner Bach, which had overflowed its banks, had destroyed a large part of the interior. As a result, it was used, among other things, as a storeroom. Around the middle of the last century, people became aware of the artistic value of the building, restored it, and consecrated it again. Today the church "Unsere Liebe Frau in der Vill" is considered one of the most beautiful late Gothic churches in the country.

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.