Churches and monasteries

The Church of Saints Gotthard and Erardo was built in the 13th century by the Voitsperg next to the ancient preposition and restored in the 14th century. Rebuilt in baroque form by auxiliary bishop Wilhelm von Vintler and consecrated in 1695. Since 1971 it has been used as an evangelical worship.

The church was built during the 12th Century and is the oldest monument in Scena. It was constructed according to the Carolingian measurements, has two naves with one round apses each and two central octagon pillars. Previously, in both apses, there was an altar, one of which was consecrated to Saint Martin. For safety reasons, this late-Gothic altar, originating from the 16th Century, was transferred into the old parish church. After a number of small changes, the church received its current shape in 1922, as the Italian Department for Monuments intended to put an emphasis on the Roman monuments in South Tyrol. Today, the church is used as a commemoration chapel for the dead.

Romanesque St. Michael’s church of the 11th century, Gothic choir loft and the „Weißer Turm“ (White Tower, 72 m) dating from the 15th century, hall church of the late Gothic around 1500, after 1750 redesigned in a baroque manner with frescoes by Josef Hautzinger, Troger’s apprentice from Vienna, altars of the Baroque, Classicism and Romanticism. Famous sculpture of Simon, the „Kreuzträger“.

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.

In the 18th century Baroque elements were added. Its windows portray the maid Katharina Lanz, heroine of Spinga/Spinges who stood up to the attack of the French with a pitchfork. The memorial plaque can be found on the southern side of the church

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.

The Parish Church of St. Nicholas stands as the spiritual heart of Merano, a distinguished masterpiece of late Gothic design. First mentioned in historical records in 1266, construction began in 1302, and the church was consecrated in its present form in 1465. Situated at the upper end of Laubengasse arcade – the historic main street of Merano – it ranks among the most significant examples of Gothic ecclesiastical architecture in Tyrol.
Architecture & Interior: The church is a three-nave hall structure, crowned by a striking 78-meter bell tower that defines the city skyline. The west façade is adorned with a rose window, while the south wall features 15th-century frescoes depicting scenes such as Christ bearing the cross and the resurrection of Lazarus. Inside, visitors encounter a rich ensemble of sacred art: the high altar by Jakob Pirchstaller (1786–1788), flanked by neo-Gothic winged altars crafted by Dominikus Trenkwalder (1892).
The finely carved red sandstone pulpit, dating from the 15th century, is a focal point of the interior. The organ, originally built by Georg Hradetzky in 1973, has since been expanded and now features 40 registers.
Historical Significance: Originally a filial church of the Parish of Tyrol, St. Nicholas was elevated to a fully independent parish in 1657. The 19th century saw extensive restoration work, most notably under the direction of Viennese cathedral architect Friedrich von Schmidt between 1882 and 1898. The most recent comprehensive restoration was carried out between 1993 and 2000. Surrounding the church are numerous historic gravestones that provide insight into the city’s past. A detailed exploration of these monuments and their historical relevance can be found in the publication Die Grabmäler von St. Nikolaus (“The Gravestones and Memorials of St. Nicholas”).
Masses (in German only) Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Sundays: 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

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.

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.

Das Kreuzkirchl wurde 1692 von Peter Dellai erbaut. Im frühbarocken Zentralbau wurde die
Statue des leidenden Erlösers aufbewahrt. Die Kapelle konnte jedoch nur für kurze Zeit genutzt
werden. Sie fiel in der Zeit von 1780 bis 1790 wie viele weitere Sakralbauten den Reformen
Kaiser Josef II. von Habsburg zum Opfer. Nach 1925 nutzte die Sterzinger Bürgerschaft das Kreuzkirchl als Totenkapelle und während des Zweiten Weltkrieges wurde sie kurzfristig in ein
Lebensmitteldepot umfunktioniert.

The church of Saint Nicolaus was build in the 13th century and renewed in the 16. century.

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. Inside the church you can find some informations about the building history and the artistic equipment.

The church of St. Valentin is a late Gothic building and is situated in the centre of Prettau/Predoi. Inside the church there is a special highlight among other sacral artefacts, the altarpiece.

The Parish church "Maria Himmelfahrt" (Mary´s ascension) by Terlan is a building from the High Gothic Period of the 14th Century. The altar room and the choir chairs are the oldest part of the building.
Catholic services: Sat. 7 pm (every 2nd and 4th saturday of the month) and Sun. 8.45 am (every 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday of the month) in German and every Sunday 10.15 am in Italian.

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 picturesque Castelbello Castle, first mentioned in 1238, was built by the Lords of Montalban. Majestically, it is situated on a cliff on the left bank of the Adige River. Because of its exposed position, the castle had to be protected by strong fortifications, which needed to be remodernized over the years. In 1813 and 1824, the castle was largely destroyed by fire. The Counts of Hendl rebuilt only a small part for residential purposes. At the end of a protracted court process held over decades between Count Siegmund von Hendl and the Republic of Italy for the possession of the castle, eventually a settlement was reached. This allowed the State to acquire the castle. The Castelbello Castle is the cultural center of the village. In addition to permanent exhibitions in Spring and Autumn, alternating art exhibitions take place here.
The building of the chapel followed in the late 13th or early 14th cent. The walls contain a frieze with the Twelve Apostles as well as texts from the Confession of Faith. Because the apostles are turned towards one another in pairs, the quotations are alternately written in plain and inverted script.

Opening times
Guided castle tours from July 5th until September 11 | 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., 3 p.m.
Closed on Monday
Spring exhibition by Hans Ebensberger from mid April to the begin of June
Autumn exhibition by Bruno Ritter from end of September to end of October

The Holy Spirit Church is the oldest church of the Ahrntal valley. The church is situated at the furthest reaches of the Ahrntal valley., leaning against a large rock. It was built around 1455, and was enlarged and converted to its current form in the 16th century. The Holy Spirit Church is a sacred place, partly through its history and partly through many pious believers of many generations. It is not known when the first church was built for the many travelers who used in particular the Krimmler Tauern as a passage to get in the Pinzgau and Salzburg. It is sure that cardinal Nikolaus Cusanus of Brixen/Bressanone dedicated the church and the cemetery in 1455.This was necessary for the people who freezed to death passing the Alps or who died in another way, or for the miners of the Prettau/Predoi copper mine. In 1500 the church was extended. In the last 10 years much restauration work has been carried out. Unfortunately, many pieces of art have been removed for security reasons. Even the pilgrimage image was removed for some years, but it returned in 1981 to the church, protected by a safe and underlined in its importance by a corona.

Centuries ago - starting from the "Schliefstein" - a particularly positive energy was found here. That is why the legendary Holy Spirit Church was built. According to the conviction, one could strip away one's sins by walking through the narrow gap between the church and the large "Schliefstein". And so, the place around the church and the stone is still a well-known and popular place of power.

The small church is located on a wooded hillside (at 1,532 m), visible from far away. It is a popular destination for leisurely walks and excursions into nature. The church was first chronicled in 1338. In successive years, it was re-built several times and finally inaugurated by the bishop of Trento in 1698. The neo-Romanesque high altar distinguishes itself through its beautiful baroque statues, and the altar piece is also very attractive.

This Church was cited as early as 1298; today's building, however was built at the beginning of the XVI century. The rich and original reticular vault ceiling is particularly worthy of note. The Church was restored in 1938 following a fire.

In the eastern part of the Lagundo "Garden Village", bordering the Merano district of Quarazze (Gratsch), lies the Lagundo district Paese (Dorf). The old Sant'Ippolito and Erardo Parish Church is found here. First documented in 1200, the church features three distinct architectural styles - Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque. The church holds many valuable treasures of art, both internally and externally, all of which testify to the turbulent political and cultural history of Tyrol. Between 1618 and 1628 a new Early Baroque nave designed by the architect Francesco Lucchese was added to the parish church. The church is closed because of restoration work.

Tils with a late gothic church has been recently elevated to a parish. It is consecrated to St. Vitus, the old saint of the farmers, whose painful martyrdom is represented in the nave.

The Church of St. Martin was, during the High Medieval period, the main church in the Central Venosta Valley. Legend has it that its area of jurisdiction extended from Prato allo Stelvio/Prad am Stilfserjoch past Ciardes/Tschars all the way to Vent, in the Ötztal Alps. In 1212, the church was handed over to the Teutonic Order. Of particular interest are a 15th Century polyptych, the baroque main altar and a swivelling eighteenth-century tabernacle.

A small late Gothic church dating from approximately 1.500. The church is constructed on a sunny, east-facing mountain slope between the villages of Mauls and Trens, 1.110 m above sea level.

The hospital church was donated by Heinrich von Annenberg. The original gothic construction's consolidation into one building dates back to 1470-1520. The church jewel is the winged altarpiece (1524), a precious work by the swabian master Jörg Lederer. A Heinrich von Annenberg foundation, amalgamated into a unified gothic building (1470-1520). The winged altarpiece by the swabian master Jörg Lederer (1524) bears masterly paintings on the reverse, presumably by Hans-Leonhard Schäuffelin. The white marble gothic portal is a work by Oswald Furter; the fresco cycles (Judgement Day, Works of Charity, The Whitsun Miracles, The Multiplication of Loaves etc.) from the 1st decade of the 17th century are by Adrian Mair, who also was born in Laces. Baroque side altars and organ dating back to 1741.

The curch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m (march-november).

Natz is the original seat of the ancient Natz parish from the Carolingian period. The curch was built in 1208 in the late Gothic style, commissioned by the Prince-Archbishop Konrad and consecrated in honor of St. Philip and St. Walburga. The tower was built from 1,400 granite blocks. The wooden sculptures that decorate the neo-Gothic main altar date back to 1470 and were influenced by the famous Artist Michael Pacher.

The romanic church of Saint Valentine was built between the 12th and 13th century. The development of the church is connected with the ruins of Castle Greifenstein. The tower was built around the 15th century. 

The parish church of St Martin is located high up on the Murkegel, before the Sonnenberg of Tschars, and it presumably rises up directly on top of the foundations of its Romanesque predecesor. It is a fourbayed hall church from the first quarter of the 16th cent. with a narrower choir that concludes in a three-sided apse. Its formidable tower with a Baroque onion dome rises up in the south. The interior was renovated in a Baroque style in the third quarter of the 18th cent.

The Magdalena church was built from scratch in 1705, because in 1629 was already built a chapel dedicated to St. Magdalena. The altar dates back to the Renaissance and was probably already in the first chapel.