Churches and monasteries

Also if the chapel in Neunhäusern / Nove Case is situated on Rasner municipality, it belongs to the parish of Olang / Valdaora.

Little Chapel with view to the dolomites of Sesto / Sexten The San Antonio Chapel was built in 1930 and is located at Mitterberg / monte di mezzo. Sebastian Holzer and his wife Anna Mitteregger constructed this chapel around 1930 as a result of a vow that the wife should recover from a severe illness. The chapel was dedicated to S. Antonius from Padova.

The church St. Georg in Antholz Mittertal was rebuilt in 1798 to today's baroque church. It is assumed that Antholz Mittertal had already a church in the year 1000.

The mystical Hill of Tartsch towers amidst the green valley of Upper Vinschgau Valley, surrounded by the villages of Glurns/ Glorenza, Matsch/ Mazia and Mals/ Malles. Due to its position as viewing platform, the schist drumlin was already settled in prehistoric times. In the 11th century A.D. the Romanesque St. Veit Church dedicated to St. Vitus was erected upon a pagan cult site. It is one of the few churches that were never restored and displays precious medieval murals.
The Romanesque frescoes, which unfortunately have only been preserved in a few places, are of great art-historical importance. The interior of the church has a wooden ceiling from the 16th century. 
Traces of fire can still be seen in some parts of the church. These date back to the Engadine War of 1499. 

The church S. Veit is open from June to October every Thursday at 5pm for the guided tours in German and Italian language (Info: +39 0473 831190).

The parish church to the hl. Veit was inaugurated at the beginning of the 16th century and restored again and again during the past centuries, even after the great fire in 1783.

The Gothic church of St. Walburg is located at the top of a former castle hill a little above Kematen - it was consecrated in 1433.
St. Walburg was once a much-visited place of pilgrimage. The pilgrims came and fetched the Walburgis oil, which could cure diseases. Like many other churches and chapels, the chapel was closed during the time of the reform-minded Emperor Josef II.

LEGEND PATH to the St. Walburg church
Route: The path leads from Bad Winkel to Kematen up to the small St. Walburg church. The trail is mostly a forest path. The path can be walked from spring to late autumn. The start is in Bad Winkel: From the parking lot at the chapel next to Gasthof Bad Winkel (getting there either by passing through Kematen or as the case may be, passing by the Sand in Tauferer’s Sports area) we briefly stay on the road to Kematen and soon branch left onto the narrow footpath into the forest (do not take the road to Wiesemann farm!). The path then has some slight ascents and descents. Note: at the road fork you go right heading downhill not left heading uphill! The path ends at a clearing near a bench and at a carved wooden Hubertus Stöckl. Now, you go left onto the wider path heading upwards until you reach the road. Continue up this path for about 300 m. and then after a bridge you reach a wooden gate, where you take the left branching trail nr. 8 leading you to the St. Walburg church (1030 m), where a magnificent view of Taufers and the Zillertal mountains rewards you. You can return on the same path as you came on or you can take the City Bus to Sand in Taufers from Kematen.

Documents mentioning St. John the Baptist Parish Church date back to 1164, although it existed long before (probably as a baptistery for the region), so it has already reached a venerable age. The Parish Church of Dorf Tirol/Tirolo is considered to be the oldest missionary church dedicated to St. John the Baptist in the area. The original Romanesque church (its tower is still preserved today) was eventually extended to include a Late Gothic choir.
One of the most interesting features of the church is the baptismal font of white Laas marble. The organ, with its large number of antique wooden and metal pipes is also a remarkable masterpiece from an artistic and historical point of view. The neo-Gothic high altar, bishop’s figures, statue of St. John above the baptismal font, oil paintings and crucifixion group are other works of art that are well worth seeing.
Among other things, Secco paintings from the year 1480 were brought to light by the renovation work on the Parish Church in 1969/70.

The altarpieces of the parish church to the hl. Nicholas holds a special treasure in itself: the statue of the Virgin Mary from 1450 by the famous Ulm master Hans Multscher. The organ with the seven registers was set up in 1904.

The Parish Museum

The parish museum St. Michael was established in 1980 as the first of its kind in the Chapel of St. Michael which had been restored by the Provincial Monuments Office. It was created an exhibition space which was created in order to protect the works of art and to make them accessible to the public.

The exhibition comprises over 20 individual objects or groups of objects, including the winged altar of St. Peter am Bühel (year 1510), the altarpiece of St. Constantine (year 1519) and the former baroque high altarpiece from the parish church (Adoration of the Magi, Year 1742, a masterpiece of the painter Johann Jakob Delai from Bolzano). Furthermore the "Probst Nativity" which was created by the handicapped artist Augustin Alois Probst from Sterzing around 1805 - the so-called Kastengrippe. Worth seeing are the 42 miniature scenes with the entire history of salvation from the birth to the suffering the Passion and the Resurrection up to the Ascension of Christ, among others with more than 240 expressively carved wooden figures.

 

Archeology Museum:

In the crypt of the St. Michael's Chapel an archeological collection was built, which can be visited during a guided tour. There are findings from the different epochs - from the Neolithic period to the early modern times - are exhibited, such as the crescent-shaped bronze fibula from the 6th/5th century B.C. In addition, there is also a fragment of a Roman gravestone and so much more to discover.

The Parish Church Assumption of the Virgin Mary is one of the most beautiful late Gothic buildings in South Tyrol. During the Second World War the church was damaged, it was altered according to baroque artistic sensibilities. With the last restoration from 1991 to 1998 the old late Gothic form was brought back to life. In 1488 master Narcissus created the winged altar. The side altars are neo-Gothic superstructures.

In the 8th century, there was probably a church at the place where the present church of St. Korbinian stands. The church was restored in the 12th century in the Romanesque style. At the old nave, a Gothic chancel was added in the 15th century, with reticulated vault and arched windows. In 1615/16, barrel vaulting was added, later extended in the mid-19th century also to the west. The south wall of the church is decorated with frescoes dating to the end of the 14th century.

The church of St. Hippolytus in Glaiten/Le Coste overlooks the village of St. Leonhard/S. Leonardo, with a spectacular view of the valley.
Thanks to the discovery of traces of ancient settlements, the hill where the church is situated is the site of one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the valley. In the late 1950’s shards of pottery were found near the church and subsequently pieces of baked clay were also unearthed. However, since prehistoric relics linked to the church have not yet been found, the exact date of its origins is not known. In the meantime, archaeologists have postulated that the votive fire coincides with the Laugen-Melaun/Luco-Meluno culture (i.e. late Bronze Age, around 1100 – 900 BCE).
It is even more certain that in the Middle Ages the area was inhabited by farmers, as the farmsteads and other settlements already had Germanic place names.
Although the Church of St. Hippolytus itself dates back to the fourteenth century, it is believed that it originates much earlier, as the name suggests.
Of even greater archaeological importance is the Silberhütt-Höhe structure near Stulles/Stuls. Clearly visible on a hillside, it served as a place of pagan worship. As from 1937, several artefacts including fragments of clay, the relics of a mill as well as a perfectly preserved millstone lever were discovered during a logging operation. These and several other small findings suggest that by the third century these settlements survived till the end of the Iron Age. On the outer edge of the steep hill is a rock wall with a number of mysterious cup-like objects.
Though rarely visited, near the prehistoric archaeological sites and the ancient farm settlement next to the path, lies another noteworthy feature. The Church of St. Hippolytus is the repository of the only fresco cycle in the valley. During the course of minor renovations, remains of frescoes in Giotto’s style depicting scenes from the life of St. Hippolytus came to light. This discovery is of much greater significance and proves that the Florentine school of painting had already spread to Tyrol as early as the fourteenth century. Dating from 1380, these frescoes are attributed to the Bolzano School and may have been commissioned by the young nobleman, Hiltprant von Passeier (deceased in 1418). Due to the damage incurred during construction work in the nineteenth century, the frescoes have only partly been preserved. On the church’s southern façade, there is a portrayal of St. Christopher, which could be the work of the young artist who also painted the interior frescoes. With its coat of arms, the von Passeier nobility has become immortalized, thus increasing the importance of the Church of St. Hippolytus.

The church can be viewed from the outside only.

The chapel Gruber was rebuilt in 1872 and decorated in 1884 by the painter Rudiferia. The interior is friendly and light. The wooden sculpture in the altar, Christ in misery, was built around 1800.

In 1815 the present chapel was built and in 1949 the chapel Steinzger was restored.

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.

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

At the eastern side of Brixen, beyond the confluence of the Rienz river and the Eisack river, in the village of Milland a new parish church was built between 1984-1985, and it is consecrated to the Saint Father Josef Freinademetz. The church is a curiosity, a work of modern architecture, a sacred place full of light.In the basement, there is an exhibition about the life and the work of the church patron, the Saint Father Josef Freinademetz, the Tyrolian China- missionary.
Guided tours possible after request.

The Franziskus Church. The modern church of Franziskus, designed in the shape of a dove, on the Seiser Alm invites visitors to contemplate and reflect. St. Francis of Assisi, who loved nature and God’s creation above everything, is the patron saint of the church. The plan of the church building shows the dove as a contour drawing. The body forms the sanctuary of the church and the wings the side additions. The towering bell tower represents the head in the upright projection. This rises smoothly out of the church sanctuary through a laminated timber construction. The interior of the church impresses with its brightly designed space and an interesting interplay of light and shadow. The slightly raised chancel faces east in accordance with ancient tradition. As it was very important to use simple, local building materials, larch wood and porphyry were used. The subtle fragrance of the wood is particularly pleasant. This conveys feelings of security and warmth to churchgoers.

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 church in Ahornach/Acereto is a wonderful example of the late gothic style in the Pustertal Valley. The stonecutter Valentin Winkler from Falzes had built the church in 1512.

The St. Proculus Church was probably built at the end of the 8th century to honor its patron saint, St. Proculus, Bishop of Verona. He is also venerated as the patron saint of animals and water. The murals inside the church are among the earliest examples of pre-Romanesque art in the Alpine region. One of the most famous depictions is 'The Saint on the Swing,' located on the south wall, which, according to legend, portrays his escape over the city walls of Verona. In addition, there are many other remarkable frescoes to discover within the church. The Proculus Museum offers in-depth information about the history of both the church and the village of Naturno.

The small church in St. Jakob got its actual shape in the 15th century. The Christophours – painting on the outer wall as well as several paintings of saints on the inside were made by an unknown master of Brixen of the 15th century. The altars are new Gothic.The church is locked for safety reasons, the keys are available at the nearby farm.

The little church of St. Catherine & St. Florian was built in 1839.

Although the first reference to a church consecrated to St. Magdalena appeared in a letter of indulgence dating to the year 1273, the origins of the chapel would appear to stretch even further back in time. The chapel as we know it today was built around 1480/1481 by the Schneeberg/Monteneve miners. The centrepiece of the chapel is the late-gothic winged altar, created in the workshop of Matheis Stöberl in 1509 and depicting scenes from the life of Saint Magdalena together with a number of other saints considered to be patron saints of miners. The second altar, attributed to artist Hans Harder and dated ca. 1470, is also worthy of note. Other works date back to the late Gothic and Baroque periods. In 2004, the church underwent extensive renovations. The altar and ambo were created by Hartmut Hintner of the Gsies/ Casies Valley in 2005.    

From the beginning of May to the beginning of November, a guided tour in German and Italian takes place in the miners' chapel every Monday from 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm. In July and August, there is also a guided tour every Friday from 10.30 am to 11.30 am.
The guided tour is free of charge. No registration required.

The St. Gertraud Church is documented the first time in 1383.
1831 the curate Johann Nepomuk Schiffer had built the new church. The gothic tower still exists.

The Santo Sepolcro Church also known as the Church of Calvary, can be reached in about 20 minutes following the forest path that starts from via Santa Geltrude or from the road that goes up from via Piè di Virgolo. A handful of minutes, following the via crucis, and here we are, immersed in the forest. From here you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view over Bolzano and the Sciliar plateau.

The church, built between 1683 and 1684, has been for centuries a place of pilgrimage. On the right, looking at the entrance of the church, there is a chapel that contains the fountain with Christ. In past times couples used to do small fertility rites to become a child. The elders of Virgolo still remember a popular belief who said that children came into the world under the fountain of the chapel and weren't brought by the stork.

The church has been restored in recent times, but the countless love-graffiti are safe. Pilgrims and lovers engraved the walls of the sepulchre with love messages from the 18th century up to our days and it is a real emotion to read those messages that overlap over the centuries and tell the story of hundreds of people through a heart, a flower, a name, a date or a promise of love.

Until 1860 the name of the Zallinger pastures was ‚Sassegg‘ which is Ladin-Bajuwaric meaning ‚hill on the big rock’, hence on the Plattkofel massif. From 1854, Karl von Zallinger-Stillendorf from Bozen/Bolzano with Bavarian origins is mentioned as proprietor. It was he who in 1857 prompted the building of the modest neo-Gothic chapel consecrated to the Virgin Mother. One year later, the little church was solemnly inaugurated. After its restoration in 1993, the Zallinger church needed a new facelift on the occasion of its 150th jubilee. The works were accomplished in autumn 2007 thanks to the generous backing of neighbours and sponsors. On July 28 2008 the accomplishment of the restoration was worthily celebrated.

The church in St. Konstantin is the most impressive daughter church of Völs and offers Gothic splendor and unique architecture. Its tower with onion dome and charming pointed arch portals is unique. Inside, a beautiful painting of the church patron Constantine awaits you, lovingly recreated by H. Pescoller. From here you can also enjoy a breathtaking view of the Schlern.

The church of St. Andreas in Oberrasen was built in the 14th century, consecrated in 1422, expanded in the 17th century and re-arched. In 1959 it was broken off in order to create space for the contemporary, modern style of the church.

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.