1334: First mentioned, then rebuilt several times over the centuries, from Gothic to Neo-Gothic.
1472: pointed arched sound windows in the tower.
1879: neo-Gothic forms in the interior according to plans by Josef Vonstadl.
1963: Extension by one bay and redesign by architect Erich Pattis. Preserving all the Gothic style elements, in addition sculptures in the Nazarene style: the guardian angel, St. Notburga, St. Joseph and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They were made by the local artist Michael Hintner, the Immaculate was executed by Josef Mersa.
Stations of the Cross from a local workshop: Romanesque four-nail cross, on the high altar the wooden sculptures of St. Sebastian and the weather patrons St. John and St. Paul, on the left of the altar St. Nicholas, on the right St. Andrew. On the altar are placed alternately Mary with the Child or the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Altars: neo-Gothic, from the workshop of Colli and Adam. On the right side altar the statues of St. Leonard, St. Mark and St. Anthony, on the left one those of Ursula, Mother Anne and St. Catherine. The patron saint of the church is St. Nicholas on December 6. Memorial to the fallen of the two world wars in the cemetery area.
The Church of St. Anna in Aschl/Eschio, near Vöran/Verano, is a Romanesque Revival building that was dedicated on July 26th, 1905: St. Anne’s Day.
A merchant, who hailed from Mölten/Meltina and had found prosperity in Bolzano/Bozen, founded the church. The curate of Vöran, Anton Locher, helped with the construction financially, buying a forest and a meadow for the small house of worship.
This church is one of the most coherent structures of the late baroque period in the Pustertal valley. It was built around 1770 reutilising the late Gothic walls of a previous nave. Consequently fragments of frescos by the master Simon von Taisten have remained. The interior was decorated by Franz Anton Zeiller in 1768, while the St. Erasmus chapel contains tomb stones in memory of the Counts of Welsberg who are buried here. The adjacent chapel of St. Jacob is graced with murals by Simon von Taisten.
The long aisle in the monastery is impressive, with its many votive plaques. Maria Weissenstein / Pietralba (1,520 meters above sea-level) is South Tyrol's most-important place of pilgrimage. It is among the most highly venerated religious sites in the entire province. This place of pilgrimage has been served by good roads from two directions for a couple of decades, now. The one road comes from the Eggen Valley, via Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente and Petersberg / Monte S. Pietro to Weissenstein/Pietralba. The other road ascends from the Etsch/Adige Valley, touches Aldein/Aldino, and ends in Weissenstein/Pietralba. The stream of pilgrims has increased markedly since the visit here by Pope John Paul II in July of 1988. This place of pilgrimage – including the church, the Pilgrims' House (built in 1897), the souvenir store, the inn (built in 1708), and the parking lot – is well-equipped not only for devout pilgrims, but also for the many hikers who stop by here. Open daily from 8:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m.
The parish church St. Petrus and Paulus in Kiens was built between 1835 and 1838. Only the tower dates back to the 15th century. The paintings on the ceiling are remarkable.
The St. Michael’s Church plays a relevant part in contributing to the scenic appearance of the village. The construction is located nearby the main church of Villandro and was dedicated in 1344. Nowadays, the almost quadratic basement of the church acts as a funeral chapel. Sanct Michael, who is the patron saint of the dead, stands sentinel over the cemetery. The cemetery of Villandro represents one of the most beautiful and unusual cemeteries in the region. There are exclusively forged grave crosses and the front side of the grave crosses is averted from the burial grave.
This “new chapel” was opened on November 12th 1510. It is outside the castle and you can reach it through the small inner courtyard by a wooden ladder. In 2000 this area of the castle was fastened and anchored and during these restoration works small colour strokes were discovered. In autumn 2005 an important restoration work was started and, above all, the dry paintings on the eastern wall, the ancient walled altar and, sideways, the apostolic symbols of different ages were discovered. The paintings represent Christ Crucified, on the left Mary and St. George with the dragon. On the right there are St. John the Apostle, St. Blaise (painted as a young martyr with only one candle and not as a Bishop) and St. Florian who is throwing water on a building in a blaze. On the top angles there are the two baronial coats of arms of the Welspergs. The work was painted between 1540 and 1560 at the end of the Gothic Age. The ceiling is more recent and belongs to the Baroque Age.
The Parish Church of Vöran/Verano, which is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, is one of the oldest churches on the Tschögglberg high plateau. The church was first documented as far back as 1330.
The walls of the nave date from that time as well. Towards the end of the fifteenth century, the apse was redone in the Gothic style, the nave fitted with two pointed arched doors, and the tower built. During the baroque period, the nave was supplemented with flat-arched windows and a barrel vault; a side chapel was also added. Frescoes depicting the Coronation of the Virgin are interesting from a historical and art-historical perspective, but are not preserved in their entirety.
This church was first mentioned in 861 in connection with a court hearing. It is designed in two floors and remarkable for its Romanesque architecture, as well as for its frescos by the masters Leonhard from Brixen and Simon von Taisten, the latter a pupil of Michael Pacher’s.
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 paintings on the outer wall of the 17th century represent the wonderful rescue of the "Platzliner" meadow. God father flashes out the clouds, the Saints Cipriano and Giustina protect the meadow and his flook with their coats. This painting shows that the colonization of Tires did not begin in today's centre, but in San Cipriano.
The old church is a simple building made by wild rocks between the tower and the sacristy. Its today`s shape dates back to the XIVth century and under the plaster of roof and walls were found frescos dated back the same period.
The 19th century neo-Gothic nave was demolished in 1988 and replaced by a modern octagonal structure. The beautiful chancel dating back to 1670, however, was preserved, complete with the painting of the Madonna with Child by Lukas Cranach on the high altar (now a copy). In 1503 Wilhelm von Wolkenstein had a chapel dedicated to the Virgin built here, which subsequently had to be enlarged several times to cope with the large numbers of people who came to this popular place of pilgrimage as they still do today. On the outside wall of the sacristy there is a stone painted with the coat of arms of the Counts of Wolkenstein.
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 St. Benedikt church of Mals was ercted in the 8th century A.D. Its Carolingian frescoes are among the earliest murals in central Europe. Originally, St. Benedict's did not have a tower; this was probably only built in the 12th century and therefore appears somewhat oversized.
Without doubt, however, the two portraits of the founders are the most interesting. They show the Bishop of Chur and a Franconian landlord in traditional costume. This portrait is unique in Europe, as there is no comparable representation anywhere else.
Opening hours summer 21.04.2025 - 31.10.2025:
Open to the public: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from 10:00 - 11:30 am
Guided tours: Monday, Wednesday at 14:00, Friday at 10:00 (only in German language)
Prices: € 1.80 per person; with guided tour € 3.00 per person
Registration not required
Opening hours winter 07.12.2024 - 15.03.2025:
Open: Saturday at 10:00 am
Price: € 1.80 per person
Registration not required
Guided tours only in German or Italian language (Info: +39 0473 831190)
The church is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
This tiny, charming place of silence and meditation was dedicated to the patron saint of cattle. 300 year-old frescoes illustrating the history of Jesus' life were uncovered during restoration work in 1993.
The Parish Church of Hafling, which is first mentioned in documents dating from 1291, is dedicated to John the Baptist. The walls of the nave date from the same period while the Gothic chancel and tower, which can still be seen today, were added in the second half of the fifteenth century.
The rededication took place on June 11th, 1469. In the seventeenth century, a barrel vault replaced the flat wooden ceiling. Of particular note is the remarkably large mural depicting St. John the Evangelist, which dates to around 1600. In the chancel arch, there is a precious fresco by Karl von Blaas. A few sculptures from the eighteenth century grace the church as well.
The porphyry relief on the outside of the cemetery chapel, now the vestry, is a mystery. It depicts a man, a tree, a flower, and a wheel-shaped ornament. The enigmatic relief is often associated with an agrarian devotion to the sun, but a precise interpretation has yet to be firmly established.
According to a 6 m-long inscription preserved in the presbytery, this simple, rectangular church with round apse in the east, was consecrated on 12 May 1142. It was painted around 1210 with outstanding and historically important Romanesque frescoes, which, among other things, show the planned sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham against a mountain backdrop. After the incorporation of the tower in around 1380, the church was decorated with Gothic paintings inside and also externally on the south wall. A wooden statue of St. Jakob from 1520 which was revamped in 1610, and two Baroque altars on the west wall, can also be seen. Below the church there is a shrine with simple but expressive pictures from the period around 1440.
The gothic Parish Church of S. Martino was mentioned for the first time in 1425. In 1778 the Church was rebuilt in baroque style with frescos from Johann Mitterwurzer. In 1906 the nave was remodeled with frescos from Heinrich Kluibenschedl.
The baroque Parish Church dates from 1738, though the tower remaining from an earlier building is Gothic. The artist Paul Troger from Welsberg was one of the most famous 18th century artists in all Austria. In 1737 he donated the three altar pictures to his home village.
Bad Egart Chapel was built in the 18th century and is dedicated to Our Lady Mary. The little church is located in the Töll area and belongs to the oldest spa in Tyrol, Bad Egart. The history of the Egart health spa appears to go back to Roman times.
Bad Egart was once among the best-known health spas in the vicinity of the spa town of Meran. In the past, only renowned spas also had a chapel. For this reason, the owner in those days, Joseph Joachim von Wolfenthal zu Spauregg und Gaudententurm had a chapel built for his guests during the renovation of the bathhouse in 1730.
Today the little spa church is a pilgrimage chapel. Over the years, many visitors have written down their wishes and thoughts in letter form. The chapel is also believed to help reconcile separated couples.
The structure of Bad Egart chapel was altered in 1926 and renovated at the end of the 20th century in keeping with the wishes of Karl Platino. It is a protected monument.
Opening times: see Restaurant / Museum Bad Egart / Onkel Taa opening times.
The Mary's Ascension into Heaven Parish Church is located in Sarnthein / Sarentino Village. The church was first mentioned in documents dating back to 1309. The church tower is the oldest part, having been built in the 14th century. Other parts of the church were added or expanded over the years.
The origins of the "Unsere liebe Frau" Sanctuary in Mörre/Mora just outside St. Leonhard/S. Leonardo can be traced back to a curious occurrence. Legend has it that village doctor and farmer, Matthias Pichler, purchased a votive image of the Virgin Mary from a street trader. Sometime later, in 1750 he decided to build a chapel on his property. Since word of Pichler’s ability to cure diseases and heal wounds was widely known, many came to him for help and also to see the image of the Virgin Mary. The growing number of needy visitors prompted Matthias Pichler to enlarge his chapel in 1752 and again in 1764. But as the miracles diminished in frequency, so did the number of pilgrims. This happened just at the time when Emperor Joseph II had decreed a program of enforced secularization and the chapel fell into disuse and eventually ruin.
In the mid-nineteenth century, a number of well-intentioned benefactors decided to renovate and further enlarge the church into the valued place of worship that it is today. An image of the Madonna was placed at the center of the new Baroque altar, inspired by a work of painter Giovanni Battista Salvi (known as "Sassoferrato"). Matthias Pichler was the first country doctor in the Passeiertal Valley to have been mentioned officially in the town records and his descendants followed in his footsteps. The country doctor could cure a variety of ailments afflicting both humans and animals and various treatments were administered, such as to stop haemorrhages. Many patients flocked to the doctor partly because of the scarcity of doctors and partly because the bad state of repair of the roads leading elsewhere. The first public pharmacy only opened in 1983 in the village of San Leonardo, serving the entire valley.
The two statues created by the sculptor Anton Ferner represent Saint Leonard and the canonised medical practitioner, Damian (1764).
The votive images are also noteworthy in themselves. Impressive and rich in detail, they express the gratitude of the population. Most of the votive paintings date back to the nineteenth century, one of which is the work of Josef Haller (1737-73). Among the best known of the late Baroque painters of Tyrol, together with sculptor Anton Ferner, Haller is one of the greatest exponents of the Passeiertal Valley School of Arts (his original work from 1768 is displayed at the MuseumPasseier museum).
So the ascent to Mörre from St. Martin is certainly worthwhile, to pray or meditate at the pilgrimage shrine, as well as to admire the works of local artists. Not least, there is the spectacular view of the valley below to enjoy.
First mentioned in 1347, elements of the Tyrolean late Gothic (1488) are still preserved in the polygonal choir end, as well as in the sound windows of the tower. Around 1840 the church was extended by one bay, regotized, the same happened again in 1952 under architect Erich Pattis and carpenter Josef Pattis. The altar-pieces are by K. Jele from Ried in the Upper Inn Valley (1814 1893) and depict on the main altar the Penitent Magdalene, and on the side altars the Bishop Sylvester with the martyr Sebastian, then Joachim and Anna with the Child in the Nazarene style in a clear position. On the main altar of St. John the Baptist, wooden sculptures by Franz Xaver Nißl. Stations of the Cross panel by Maria Delago (1953). In the apse, paintings from the life of St. Magdalene by the priest painter Johann Bapt. Oberkofler. On the east side a wrought-iron cross points to the witness of the resistance against the Nazi regime. This is the Jesuit priest Johann Steinmair (1890-1944), who became a blood witness of Christ by beheading in Berlin-Brandenburg. The chapel of the dead in the cemetery area: It serves as a memorial for the victims of the two world wars, for Reverend Peter Agreiter (1911 1948) and as a place of devotion for the Lourdes pilgrims.
The construction of the parish church of St. Joseph began in 1764. The baroque country church is decorated in rococo style in the interior and impresses with many details. The church was consecrated in 1768.
The parish church is located in the centre of Ridnaun.