Churches and monasteries

Between the Antholz Nieder- und Mittertal stands next to the street the baroque chapel "Sießl". According to an inscription, the chapel Sießl was built in 1820 and renovated in 1886.

The Holy Cross Chapel is a mountain chapel on Resciesa near Laion/Lajen. The little church was built in 1755 and has been preserved until today. The last restoration took place in 2012 by the rifle company Laion and since then the chapel has been protected as an architectural monument. Inside the church there is a large crucifix that dates back to the first half of the 18th century. In summer, the chapel is always open to visitors during the day.

The church is of Romanesque origin, and its dedication to the archangel also point to its antiquity. However, St. Michael´s Church is not mentioned in any document prior to an indulgence certificate from 1353. Parts of the masonry above the base of the church itself and in the tower are still from the Romanesque period. Gothic modifications were carried out after 1465. The nave was not provided with a vault until the 17th c.

The new restored chapel “Unsere liebe Frau im Stöckl” was built in the year 1621 and enlarged in the year 1644. It was built totally new in the year 1680.

Kastelruth's exceptionally imposing, free-standing bell tower already beckons to visitors from a great distance. The tower and church form a captivating achitectural ensemble together with the town hall and the houses built around the church square by leading citizens. It is no coincidence that this village's historical core has been selected as one of the most beautiful in Italy.
The Parish Church of Kastelruth – also known as the “cathedral on the mountains” is dedicated to the apostle princes Peter and Paul. The parish church is an example of Viennese engineering.
Open daily from 08:00 - 18:00.
Worship services: Sunday: 10.00 a.m. (in German)
The parish church is open during the day throughout the year

The church, mentioned as far back as 1332, with its flat ceiling was increased in height in the late Gothic period and lengthened by the chancel with ribbed vaults above short round pillars and pointed corbels. The church was rededicated in 1472. The small tower that was built from hewn stone at the same time as the chancel remained incomplete and was later finished in brick.

In 1900 the church was extensively renovated. There is a large painting on the façade at the top of which the earlier, lower gable can be seen. In addition there is a broad border with small bust portraits in quatrefoils. On the southern side is the sundial which bears the date 1537. Inside there are traces of gilded frescoes from the early 15th century. The winged shrine with ancient sculptures is of the Schnatterpeck school.

St. Rupert’s Church was most recently renovated in 2007/08, and the altar dedication took place on 21st September 2008.

Already in 1239 was mentioned the consecration of the church. Today's making should have been made, however, in the context of a baroque change in the 18th century. The stout tower with the four-sided pyramid roof is impressive. A broad canopy is located in the main entrance at the west façade. The frescos at this façade show the Saints Johannes, Laurentius, Stephanus and Christophorus and were donated, according to an inscription, from Hans von Freising to Aichach and Dorothea von Freising in 1727. The altar is in a neo-Gothic style. A sculpture , called the "Johannesschüssel", is a copy of a very valuable sculpture from the 14th century. A sculpture of Saint Mary with her child from the master Leonhard of Brixen's school is also deposited in this church.

An inscription refers to the first consecration of the church in 1199. The nave has a flat ceiling and is equipped with oylets. The choir has a semi-circular, vaulted apse with a Majestas representation and two well-preserved Evangelist symbols. There are traces of frescoes dating back to the 13th century. To the south of the triumphal arch appear the victims of Cain and the upper body of a fish-tailed siren. The head with long hair, the thoughtful expression and the gestures of the arms give the depiction a uniquely melancholic appearance, which contrasts significantly with the image of the demonic element in the other wall paintings.

The Church of S. Nicolaus is open from 15.04.2025 - 07.10.2025 every Tuesday at 2 pm for the guided tours in German and Italian language (3,00 € per Person, no registration needed).

A peasant chapel is located in Oberrasen near the court Oberstallerhof.

In Laion village, next to the Maria Einsiedel chapel, there is a wayside shrine that dates back to the 17th century. In the niches of the wayside shrine are representations such as a crucifixion group, two holy warriors, St. John and St. Margaret and the visit of Mary to Elizabeth.

The origin of the church surely reaches back much further than the consecration in 1465. In the inside are shown the consecrating document, translated into German, and a detailed list of the restaoration work of 1989.The capstones of the soft net ribbed vaulting represent saint figures and different coats of arms. The painting of the baroque high altar (1733) shows Saint Mary with the child and Saint Jakobus Senior and Saint Jakobus Junior. These two saints are represented, together with Saint Silvester and a Bishop, on both sides of the church one more time. Moreover, a Pieta from the 18th century and a figure of Saint Valentin with a cattle are remarkable (at 1800).

The church has been consecrated in 1434. The west façade shows a little weathered fresco remains, which show the Last Judgement and the Saint Christophorus. The church has a baroque altar. In the altar shrine are sculptures of Saint Mary with the child as well as Barbara (on the left) and Katharina (on the right). Right above is God father with the globe. Worth mentioning is the pretty Gothic net vault with a painted capstone. The right side altar shows holy Antonius of Padua and the left one Maria with the child and the wine patron Saint Urban, who hands the child a grape. Besides that are another two saint shapes, namely Saint Leonhard with the chain and again Saint Urban with the grape.

The location of the chapel on the highest point of the San Silvestro Valley, has been identified as a prehistoric hillfort. Pre-christian sanctuaries were mostly build in such high located spots. It is therefore possible that also the San Silvestro Chapel was one of the pre-german shepherd's sacred places with a sacrificial altar.

Of demotic power is the church of St. Leonhard. Leonhard, the patron saint of cattle and prisoners, is commemorated by the heavy chain that winds one and a half times around the entire church. Consecrated in 1194, the church was redesigned around 1430 and baroque in the 18th century. The rich ceiling stucco from Franz Singer's workshop (around 1770) is a reminder of the Baroque and the creative joy of master builder Tangl. More recent history is evoked by the frescoes by Toni Kirchmair (around 11920), which interpret St. Leonhard as the patron saint of prisoners and fallen soldiers of the First World War.

Today's church was built toward the middle of the 15th century after a village fire. The walls of the nave and the shaft of the tower should be considerably older. A gigantic Christophorus fresco which might have arisen at 1500, is on the right next to the portal of the church. On the left and on the right on the lower side of the fresco are Saint Nicholas with the three golden balls and Saint George with a dragon. Saint George is the second patron saint of the church. The church inside surprises with a pointed arch portal, the lancet windows and an impressive net vault. The baroque high altar (1720) shows Saint Silvester, Saint George, Saint Margareth, Saint Valentin and Saint Nicholas, who looks to the Mother of God with the child. The masterpiece of the church is the gothic winged altar (called the "Georgsaltar", 1520) from Artist Andre Haller from Brixen. In the middle of the winged altar is Saint George on the horse, who fights against the Dragon. On the right side Margareth knees in front of a lamp and prays for a good ending of the fight. In the background are represented Saint George's parents and his execution. The wings of the altar show Saint Joachim with a book and Saint Anna together with the Mother of God and the child.

In 1924 bulit the farmer Josef Pallhuber the "Brugger" chapel next to his house. Until now it is the youngest chapel in the valley.

This Neo-Gothic Church was originally the chapel of the "Dame Inglesi" It was designed by Ferdinand Mungenast, and built in 1903. The longitudinal plan ends in an apse which is decorated with a striking mosaic of over three million pieces, in neo-Byzantine Ravenna style. It depicts Christ seated in majesty, flanked by Mary and Joseph an angels, with the hand of God, the Creator, above. In the lower part of the mosaic there is a row of six saints interspersed with palm trees.

These two chapels were build in the 17th century by Georg Paprion, a San Candido/Innichen resident. After his return from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1653 he decided to recreate the Sepulchral Church of Jesus Christ. 20 years before he had already built the first chapel.

opening times:
during the winter season: closed
01.06. - 30.06.2024: SAT - SUN 10 am - 12 pm & 4 pm -6 pm
04.07. - 08.09.2024: THU - SUN 10 am - 12 pm & 4 pm -6 pm
14.09. - 13.10.2024: SAT - SUN 10 am - 12 pm & 4 pm -6 pm

St. Peter forms an independent parish, Lajen's parish priest, however, looks after the spiritual welfare. Churches, which are dedicated to Saint Petrus usually point to a high age. The parish church in St. Peter documentarily reaches back to 1241. The church was already rebuilt in the 15th century, so nothing more reminds of the originally Romanesque building today. Today's baroque making is even younger, it was consecrated in 1767. In the inside are great ceiling frescos, which were painted from Josef Arnold,who also painted the blanket frescos of the parish church in Lajen. Three paintings are attached to the parapet of the gallery: Peter cures the lame (on the left), Saint Cäcilia (in the middle) and the conversion of Saint Paulus (on the right). The high altar dates from the building time of the church. The painting represents the farewell of Peter and Paulus. The side altars have different saint figures which have been made in the 18th century. The figures at the outside of the pulpit show figures which symbolize the three cardinal virtues (faith, hope and love).

The Romanesque St. Sisinius' Church is situated on a plateau above Lasa/Laas, the village of marble in South Tyrol. Its rare choir tower church was built on the ruins of a former building. Skeleton and clay fragments from the Bronze Age even prove the existence of a cult worship place. The hill’s many years of settlement are probably due to its location. Even today, visitors enjoy the wonderful view of the surrounding mountains that extend to the Laaser Ferner glacier.

The church itself was first mentioned in 1290 and is dedicated to the martyr Sisinius, who lived in the Nonsberg area of South Tyrol. Surrounded by a high asylum wall in a Romanesque herringbone pattern, the eastern wall has a Gothic pointed arch gate devoid of a gate wing. The choir is located in the tower, which is covered by a stone tower pyramid. The nave, on the other hand, has two round arched windows, a protruding triumphal arch and a portal made of pure Lasa marble.

The church has no sacral furniture and is closed. Once a year only, just before Easter, it is decorated as an Easter grave for devotion.

On Good Friday and Holy Saturday the Easter tomb is on display in the church.

Popular wisdom says that the church square, which offers many beautiful views, was once home to one of the oldest baptisteries in the area. Today, the Parish Church stands on an even older site dating back to the pre-romanesque period (lombard-carolingian style) and is one of the rare examples of a cross-domed church with central nave and side naves.

In 1287 Count Meinhard II of Tyrol transferred the patronage to the Cistercian monastery of Stams in the Oberinntal valley. St. Peter is still under the pastoral care of the monastery today. Under Meinhard, the lombard-carolingian church underwent a thorough reconfiguration; further modifications were made in the Gothic period. The church is rich in precious Romanesque and Gothic frescoes. The southern side nave has an especially well-preserved half-length portrait of St. Paul dating back to the 11th century.

The church is consecrated to St. Petrus and the earliest recorded mention of the building dates back to the start of the 13th century. The ceiling frescoes were painted by Christoph Brandstätter and combine with the interior of the church to produce a remarkable example of a room dating from the late Baroque or Classical period. Open all day long.

It is said that the Church of St. Nikolaus was built in 1402 on the site of what was previously a small chapel and the works were terminated approximately in 1464. The frescoes above the door of the church were only discovered during subsequent restorations in 1985 and are probably the work of the renowned sculptor, Michael Pacher. The pointed steeple with its four bells also dates back to this period.

Small church with three apses in Romanesque style, with a cycle of frescoes dating back to 1215. Restored in 1969 and 1982.

Traces of the Middle Ages are omnipresent throughout South Tyrol. Among many fortresses, castles and mansions, important monasteries and thousands of churches and chapels there are also impressive historic examples of the early and high Romanesque period.

In Lana, that alone boasts more than 30 monasteries and chapels, you can find architectural and artistic traces from before 1000 AD. One highlight, among many others, is the cycle of frescoes in early Romanesque style that can be seen in the three apses church of St. Margareth's.

Stories date St. Margareth's back to the end of the 10th century and it is said that the small church with its three apses was a gift of Theophano, the Byzantine wife of Emperor Otto II. The only remains from the original Romanesque building that can still be seen today are the round apses with their paintings from 1215. Like in the church of St. Kastelaz the bases depict bestiaries.

More detailed information and map of the cultural site are available in the tourist office Lana and surroundings and on www.stiegenzumhimmel.it . Discover our virtual tour >

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.

The church reaches back to the year 1437, but it might be fundamentally older. According to the legend the Church of Saint Bartholomäus is the oldest place of worship on Lajener area. The entrance, the stout tower with the shingle pyramid and the sound windows show obviously Romanesque features. The inside shows fresco remains in different places, in the past, the church was probably colored completely. The altar is kept in the late baroque style and represents Holy Mary with saints. There are the statues of holy Josef and holy Johannes between the columns. The sculptures at the left long house wall (Katharina and Barbara, Bartholomäus and a Bishop) are valuable, too. In addition, are worth mentioning the old baptismal font and the bell from 1580 (next to the altar). Between the church and the Mesnerhaus is a walnut tree, which is a splendid natural monument.

Already in the Bronze Age, there existed a settlement at Abeins/Albes, mentioned in a document for the first time around 960, under the name of Allpines, later Albines. The actual church was built around 1320, at the end of the 15th century it was rebuilt and finally, in 1784, it was changed into Baroque style. It is consecrated to the Saints Hermagoras and Fortunat (painting on the high altar). The side statues date from the first part of the 18th century and represent the St. Albuin and the St. Ingenuin, while the wall- painting on the front and the ceiling fresco on the inside date from the period around 1700. The oldest church of the village is the Margarethen- Church. It has been arched in the late Gothic period, changed into Baroque in the 17th century with remnants of Gothic and Baroque frescoes. Precious Mary- statue of Master Leonhard von Brixen.

The chapel in the hamlet Obergoste is located at an altitude of 1328 m.

The mausoleum was built between 1860 and 1869 according to the plans of the Vienna architect professor Moritz Wappler, as a burial place for Archduke Johann of Austria and his family. The church is situated on an artificial terrace at the western edge of the church hill and is one of the earliest and without doubt the most successful sacred building in the Neo-Gothic style. The building was constructed of red sandstone and granite from the Ifinger region. In the underground crypt chapel with its heavy ribbed vaults, there is the marble sarcophagus of Archduke Johann and his wife.

The late Gothic church was mentioned already in 1147 for the first time. According to the legend the church stands on the foundations of a heathen victim place. Today's building was built in the 15th century. Gothic elements of the church are the ogival portals, the rosette window above the main entrance with the Gothic three passports and the dainty net ribbed vaulting inside. The high altar (at 1620) shows Jesus' birth, statues of Peter and Paulus as well as figures from the Life of the Virgin Mary. The painted windows on the left and on the right side of the high altar were donated from Lajen's nobility families in 1905. The remaining fittings are in the neo-Gothic style. The tower of Our Lady's Church is adorned on the northern side and has impressing frescos.