Kerken en kloosters in de Vinschgau

Erected in the 12th century, St. Mark’s Church – known colloquially as “St. Marx” – is located close to the parish church of Lasa and is considered one of the most beautiful Romanesque structures in South Tyrol despite lacking a bell tower.

The walls of this desecrated church consist of large stones hewn into even layers. St. Marx catches the eye on account of its exceptional height for the time at which it was built and its division into two storeys. The crypt was used for a number of centuries as a depot for storing bones, while fragments of frescoes have been revealed around the apse in the interior.

In the course of the Josephine church reform, St. Marx was desecrated and ultimately used for entirely different purposes. Following an extended period in which the church housed a workshop for the renowned Lasa stonemasonry school, the upper storey subsequently served as a rehearsal venue for the local brass band.

The church underwent a thorough restoration in 2000, which led to the discovery of long-forgotten fragments of valuable Gothic frescoes from around the year 1400.

Opening times:
closed, to be visit from the outside

Guided tours:
no guided tours

The parish church of St. Dionysius in Morter was constructed in a gothic style, and was consecrated in 1479. The frescoes of painter Adrian Mair, which date back to the 17th century, are of particular interest, given that he hails from Laces himself.

This chapel belongs to the inhabitants of Perwarg. Inside there is an altar with an image of the painful Savior. In the 18th century, Florian Greiner from Schluderns painted a Way of the Cross for the chapel, which was removed in the 1980s for security reasons.

With the miraculous great Lord of Agumes the Church of St. Georg, visible from a distance, it turned into a popular destination for pilgrimages.

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).

Both the delightful Baroque-style pilgrimage church, built in 1304 and expanded in 1765, and the nearby cemetery with its artistic graveyard crosses made of copper and bronze by local artists are well worth a visit. The village of Madonna di Senales/Unser Frau celebrated its 700th anniversary as a place of pilgrimage in the year 2004. It is, in fact, one of the oldest pilgrimage centres in the entire Tyrol region.

The St. Johann Benedictine convent of Müstair Valley across the border in Switzerland is a well-preserved monastery complex that dates back to the Carolingian period. Here, Benedictine everyday life, cultural cultivation, art and research meet. Legend has it that none other than Charlemagne laid the foundation stone for the monastery. Immediately after his coronation, Charlemagne was caught in a snowstorm on the Umbrail Pass. Out of gratitude for having survived this, he founded the monastery in Müstair in 775. 
St. Johann Monastery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. 

More information, guided tours and opening hours of the monastery church at: www.muestair.ch

The Neo-Gothic church in Pedross was built from 1908 to 1912 according to the plans of the brothers Paul and Theodor Huter from Innsbruck under the curate Franz Habicher and inaugurated on 28 October 1912 by the Brixen prince-bishop Franz Egger. Patron Saint is the St. Martin, pictured in the large window behind the high altar. The church is painted yellow. It has an open porch and a rose window above the entrance to the west. The interior of the church is decorated with a barrel-shaped ribbed vault. The church has 10 large windows, all of which were donated by private individuals. The church has three altars designed, carved and painted by Josef Bachlechner. The pulpit, designed by Josef Bachlechner and made by J. Peitner from Wilten, shows Christ as sower and the four evangelists. The Stations of the Cross is a relief in wood, executed by the sculptor Franz Kobald from Schwaz. The left side altar is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the right to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The central theme of the neo-Gothic winged altar in the presbytery is the Holy Trinity. The outer sides of the wings show the victim of Melchizedek on the left and the sacrifice of Abraham on the right. Inside the altar shrine the saints Wolfgang and Wendelin are depicted. Wendelin is the patron saint of shepherds and peasants and was much revered in Langtaufers. The chapel in the nearby "Ochsenberg" is also consacrated the St Wendelin. Under the windows of the presbytery the seven sacraments of angels are represented in round medallions. On the ceiling of the whole church various herbs, flowers and medicinal plants are depicted. The cemetery is built around the church. Here the deceased are buried from thea first part of the valley.

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 core of the old parish church in Marein was presumably built around 1400. At least the stellar vault of the choir and the tracery windows on its southern side are from this period. By contrast the tower and nave were not given their present form until the 17th cent. In addition to a Baroque altar from the 18th cent. In addition to a Baroque altar from the 18th cent. the church also contains an older altar from the 17 cent. Among other things, its other furnishings include two remarkable oil painting: a Madonna and Child with St.John the Baptist as a boy, venerated by St Francis, St Clare and St Catherine, as well a second large-format oil painting, which features ST Odile, who was born blind and gained the ability to see only through her baptism

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 parish church of St. Michael in Tarres was first mentioned back in 1214. The roman frescoes are especially worth a look, as are the sumptuous altar decorations, which date back to different periods.

In the year 1848, Christian Altstätter, the ‘Kaiserjäger’, vowed to build a chapel if he returned alive from the Battle of Custoza. Dedicated to St. Martin, the chapel was built in 1873 and today it is privately owned.

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary dates from 1499 and the side chapel was added around 1600. It had to be rebuilt after being burned down both in 1885 and in 1924. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful sacral baroque examples in the entire Venosta Valley. The church is open all year. Worship Sun 8.30 am in German

The church in Freiberg is from the 19th cent. and its neoromanesque altar was installed in 1919. The altar paintin depicts the earthly and heavenly family of Jesus

The little church of St. Peter was built in 1396 but was destroyed during the flood of the Tanas river. A new church was built around 1500, the ruins of which can be seen just below St. Peter's Church. St. Peter's church, which is still standing today, was built in 1769 in baroque style and consecrated in 1782. The four-station Meditation Trail leads from Tanas to this little church.

It is said that the Church of Maria Lourdes was built due to the fact that, on 15th June 1885 in that very spot, a cart fell off a bridge killing Benedict Edler von Vintschgau, of Merano. His wife had the chapel built in his memory, dedicating it to the Virgin Mary. The parish priest, Ortner, later had a new church built in neo-romantic style in honour of the Madonna of Lourdes and it remains a place of pilgrimage even today.

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).

In 1709, Eustach Waldner built the Radund Chapel in Val Martello. Following a serious mountain accident, he promised to build a chapel if his life would be spared. The chapel is dedicated to the fourteen emergency helper, who were involved in his rescue.

The keys are available at the familiy Waldner Alois
Tel. +39 0473 744675

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 sanctuary of the holy San Martino was probably built over a pagan sanctuary caveand dates from the 16th century. The San Martino statue still stands in a natural cave to day - hence the only proper name of San Martino in Monte. From San Martino you enjoy a particularly and beautiful view of the valley and in the Ortler mountains.

The chapel in Kapron was built by Josef Pläs (Blaas) in 1743 and renovated in 1908 by his granddaughter Aloisia Blaas. Both can be found in the inscription in the interior above the entrance of the chapel. In the chapel are various pictures with the cartridges: the ST. Sebastian, Our Lady with Child, Evangelist Johannes and St. Joseph. In May, Mayan prayers are held in the chapel and at funerals, processions and prayers the two bells of the chapel are rung.

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.

In 1992 in the church "Unsere liebe Frau auf dem Bichl" the in Laces standing stone (3.300-2.200 B.C.) was found during restoration work by the State Monument Authorities. The stele, which is made from the finest Vinschgau marble, formed the supporting surface of the altar table. The top and bottom parts as well parts of the left upper side of the 107 cm high, 77 cm wide and 12 cm thick stone are missing. It was probably originally located around where the current church stands on the hill and would thus have been visible from afar. As well as the iconic features common to all the male engraved stones from the Etsch valley group, such as scalloped belts, axes, daggers, clubs, bows, various decorative elements and fringed capes, elements are present that belong to the Lombardy group from Val Camonica and Valtellina, such as suns, deer and stylised male figure. Thus the in Laces standing stone is great proof of the ancient connection of the Vinschgau and the Etsch valley and the valleys of north-eastern Lombardy.

The original parish church of St. Walburga is thought to have already been in existence around 1203, and is located close to the permanent settlements by the stone river surfaces in Val Martello. The church was consecrated in 1440, it was extended in 1650, and an upper section was added in 1759. The neo-romanesque altar was completed in 1887.

The Church of St. Valpurga is already recorded in 1233 as the Basilica in Gevelano and was rebuilt in late gothic style in 1502. It is the only sacral late gothic edifice in the whole of the Venosta Valley and today it serves as a funeral chapel. Opening times: during the church service, sun 8.15 am

The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was built by Tanas between 1895 and 1897 in neo-romantic style and the sculptures are the work of Anton Santifaller. On the main altar, there are the Madonna and St. Joseph, in adoration of the Heart of Jesus. Worship Sunday 8.30 am in German

The Church of Visitation dates back to around 1640 and inside there is an octagonal-shaped choir enclosure, originally with stucco ornamentations. On the North-facing wall, there remains a faded fresco of St. Sebastian the martyr, which dates back to the original construction.

The small pilgrimage church Unsere liebe Frau im Walde stands on the Schmelz, in middle of the wooded Martell Valley, where a mine is mentioned as early as 1448. This charming miners' chapel was donated in 1711 by the Counts Hendl from Kastelbell, sold in 1816 due to famine, extended with a tower in 1856 and rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style in 1894. Until after the Second World War, the people of Martell moved in procession from the parish church in the main village to the chapel on the Schmelz for the annual celebration of the church consecration. The day of patron saints is on first Sunday in July, around the Visitation of Mary (2nd July), with a field mass and sermon by the erratic block next to the church.