Kerken en kloosters in de Dolomieten

The year of construction of the first church is uncertain, but certainly in the year 1490 it was destroyed by a landslide that destroyed a large part of the village. 1492 another church was rebuilt. Over the centuries this church changed style several times and was also enlarged. In recent times the altar has been modernized with works from the artists Mellauner y Promberger. The church can be visited all year round.

The Santa Barbara church, built in the late Gothic style, was built in the 15th century on a panoramic hill just outside the village of La Val.

Historical evidence indicates that the church built in honor of Santa Barbara, patron saint of miners, is the work of the miners of Valparola, who worked the iron minerals extracted from Monte Pore.

The painting on the outside wall depictings a crucifixion in the open countryside and various mural paintings inside are of particular historical value.

The Santa Barbara church can be reached with just a half-hour walk from the village centre of La Val along the "Memento Vivere" meditation path, consisting of the stations "Birth", "Childhood", "Youth", "Adults age" and "Old age".

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

Built with the proceeds of admission charges to Pian di Maia/Maistatt spa (digestive complints, 1511 visit by Emperor Maximilian I) artistic high altar with various different marbles.

Pastor Heinrich Videsott was born on July 3, 1912 in Mantana near Brunico and died on December 9, 1999 in La Val. Pastor Videsott particularly stood out for his spiritual charisma, his deep piety and great compassion. He showed an unlimited willingness to help and was an ambassador of the goodness and love of God.

St. Anthony’s Chapel built in 1673 and situated on the main square in Ortisei/St. Ulrich is a popular photo motif thanks to its simple and unadorned style and roof turret.

It features an altar painting depicting St. Anthony from Padua, by the Swiss painter Melchior Deschwanden.

Even though Versciaco only became an independent parish in 1891, the church was first consecrated in 1212. The lower part of today's nave walls date back to this period. The initial construction consisted of a rectangular room with a small apse added to the east and a flat wooden ceiling. The last preserved remains of a proto-Gothic fresco date back to around 1300 and can still be admired: Saint Ursula and her companions. The church might originally have been devoted to this saint of noble lineage, also because all the Saints venerated until Late Medieval times were of princely blood or at least nobles. Every year, three processions from San Candido to this church took place on the Saint's feast day (22nd of July). During the course of the 18th century, the Gothic furniture was replaced by Baroque pieces. The Baroque altar sheets that were replaced by neo-Gothic altars (by Josef Stauder, San Candido) in the 19th century, were carefully preserved and hung on the walls of the choir stall with three pictures: S. Magdalene, S. Sebastian and S. Peter. Even though only the last of the three bears the signature of Seb. Unterberger, it is very likely that all three pieces were realised by his hands. Visiting hours: daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The parish church Saint Catherine of Alexandria, mentioned in 1347 and consecrated in 1452, is the first church of Corvara. In the small church, built in late gothic style, you can admire some admirable works of art.

For example, there are some frescoes and a winged altar dating back to 1520, the only well-preserved winged altar in the Val Badia valley. The altar was realized by the workshop of Ruprecht Potsch and was restored in 1975. The legend tells, that the landscape paintings on the two panels of the altar are by the famous painter Titian, who was probably in Corvara for a short time. Art experts attribute the work to an artist from the so-called Danube School, Albrecht Altdorfer.

Around the church there is, as usual in our alpine area, the town cemetery.

Although this church originally built in Romanic style dates back to the 12th century, renovation performed after 1735 transformed it to the Baroque jewel we see today with the lavish ornamentation that recalls the exuberance of Rococo. The outside is characterised by arched windows, niches with statues, the impressive main facade crowned by a cross, angels blowing trumpets and bearing glowing braziers, and the walls' buttresses in the form of scrolls. Without doubt, this church is one of the most beautiful sacral buildings in Tyrol.

ST. MAGDALENE'S CHURCH IN MOOS (Mooskirche): St. Magdalene’s Church was built in the year 1490 through a donation provided by Countess Paula von Gonzaga, wife of Margrave Leonhard von Görz. The early baroque high altar dates back to approx. 1600. A relief plaque depicting the Adoration of the Magi, a work by Michael Parth from the late Gothic period (around 1520), adorns the high altar. The church is located a short distance outside of town in the direction of Welsberg/Monguelfo. Open to the public: Early April – early October 8am - 7pm

Old parish church St. Genesius.                                                         

The Holy Cross Chapel, built in 1755 in Rasciesa di Fuori (over 2200 m) is also worth a visit. The chapel was restored in summer 2012.
The chapel is located at Resciesa and can only be reached on foot in about 45 minutes, starting from the top station of the Resciesa funicular. It is a flat and easily walkable trail suitable for the whole family.

PARISH CHURCH, ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL AND CHAPEL OF THE DECEASED: St. Stephen’s Parish Church was built between 1792-96 during the late Baroque period and it contains frescoes by Franz Altmutter, sculptures by Nissl and an altarpiece by Martin Knoller. A Gothic-style twofold chapel dating from the 15th century is located to the left of the steps of the church. The lower part of it is occupied by the Chapel of the Deceased, while St. Anne’s Chapel is found above. A fresco by Simon von Taisten may be seen in the Chapel of the Deceased. Chapel of the Deceased open to the public: Daily 8-17.00

St. Anna’s Chapel | A small church built at the beginning of the 15th century in the Ortisei’s graveyard. It features a noteworthy portal and several ancient gravestones and memorials.

The church will be open only for special occasions.

The beautiful Romanesque church, dedicated to St. Leonard, was built around the 13th century. Its main altar dates back to the 18th century.

The newest part of the village from a settlement point of view is located on a gigantic scree. Only the church, which usually provides the centre of the village, is located on a panoramic hill. It is definitely one of the most beautiful church hills in the region! The parish was devoted to the patron of water St. Nicholas. This saint was often chosen in villages prone to overflowing by raging rivers (ancient German winnen = raging). In 1507 the Prato Drava parish church was first mentioned in a document within the framework of consecration. The traditional rectangular floor-plan of proto-Romanic construction was transformed and renovated in Gothic style around1500. The elegant construction with ogive windows and portal has maintained all its Gothic charm, including the floor-plan, the section with support pilaster and pilaster strips , the triumphal art and the polygonal choir stall. Unfortunately in 1821, the vaults were stripped of their ribs, and only a Coronation of Mary and a representation of the legend of St. Nicholas (approx. 1505) are all that remain of the original frescoes in the Church of Prato Drava. The epitaph of the Klettenhammer family with its architectonic frame dates back to the 17th century. The altars, pulpit and confession boxes that date back to the early 19th century exemplify a unified and extremely rustic Baroque style. A steep path with the Stations of the Cross and four wayside shrines leads to the church hill. The wooden statues in these wayside shrines realised in rustic, realistic Baroque style show scenes from the Passion of Christ: The Mount of Olives, the Flagellation, the Crowning with Thorns, Jesus carrying the Cross; the Crucifixion group located in the graveyard is also of the same genre and period (1700 circa). Visiting hours: The church is only accessible during mass celebrations (during the summer season every day).

HOLY TRINITY HOSPITAL CHURCH: With the founding of the hospital in 1456, a chapel was built nearby (1456-1473). Further expansion to the size of the present church took place in the middle of the 17th century. The Hospital Church is decorated in the Baroque style.

Just like the innkeeper Georg Paprion from San Candido, also the innkeeper Johann Klettenhammer from Prato Drava, was a zealous pilgrim. Both lived around the same time, and like the outer church realised by Paprion, the Loreto Chapel realised by Klettenhammer also provides a testimony to Baroque devotion. The town of Loreto in Italy was a popular destination for pilgrims even in the 17th century, since drawings and paintings of its Chapel of Mercy can be found everywhere in Tyrol. Johann Klettenhammr brought back a copy of the miraculous image from his pilgrimage to Loreto, and constructed a chapel in the style and shape of the Chapel of Mercy - the Loreto Chapel - beside his house. The chapel was consecrated in 1650. It was struck by detritus carried by the flooding of the two rivers, the Mittereggerbach and the Mühlbach several times - the last time in 1965. For the inhabitants it was a miracle, that the chapel had never been destroyed by these miseries: hence, the Loreto Chapel became more and more of a destination for pilgrims. The fresco on the outside wall depicts the legendary transport of the house of the Sacred mother by angels to Loreto. Visiting times: daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For a long time, the entire religious life of the valley revolved around the church of La Pli/Pieve Marebbe. Once the most important house of prayer in the valley, records state that since the appointment of one Marquardus as the first pastor in 1214, Marebbe has always had its own resident pastor. Records dating back to 1347 list the church as the "parish church of the Virgin Mary of Marebbe".

Today, it is a grand four-naved Baroque church with a particularly beautiful wooden high altar, skilfully carved in Renaissance style in 1636 – at a time when the Black Death raged through the valleys. The centre features a statue of St. Mary of Graces. Both for the population of the Badia valley and many pilgrims from the Pusteria valley, this picturesque temple remains a well-loved and much-visited place of pilgrimage.

Parish church St. Genesius.                                            

The San Vigilio/St.Vigil church is dedicated to Saint Vigilio and was rebuilt in Rococo style between 1781 and 1782. The frescoes are from Matthäus Günther.

The Collegiate Church in San Candido is one of the most beautiful sacral buildings in Roman style in the Eastern Alps. The Collegiate Church was constructed around 1143 when the Benedictine Convent of San Candido founded in the 8th century by Duke Tassilo from Bavaria III was transformed into a Collegiate Church. The Church assumed its present appearance around 1280, while the bell tower dates back to between 1320 and 1326. The monumental walls recall the style of the fortresses favoured by the crusaders and the many castles built in the days of the Hohenstaufen. Also the church was meant to be a fortress of God. Worth seeing are the monumental Roman fresco, the special crucifixion group, and the crypt.

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.

St. Jacob’s Church San Giacomo’s Church, dedicated to the patron saint of pilgrims and travellers, is traditionally known as the oldest church in Val Gardena: its origins date back to the 12th century. | It is located right above Ortisei, along the ancient path, “Troi Paian”. From Ortisei you can reach the idyllic , sunny hamlet comfortably by ski- or summer bus or by car. Here you are surrounded by nature and you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. After a 15-minute walk (slightly uphill) you will arrive to the San Giacomo Church. Alternatively, you can start from Ortisei and take a slightly sloping trail (Path of Dialogue), which takes you to the San Giacomo Church in about an hour. Another beautiful circular walk connects S. Cristina (Plesdinaz) with the church. The current overall appearance is Gothic, and the inside is part Gothic and part Baroque. The church features remarkable frescoes (late 15th century) in the presbytery. Wall paintings from the 16th century, illustrating the legend of San Giacomo (St. James), decorate the area near the pulpit. The local wood-carving tradition is represented in the main altar. Around 1750 the Vinazer-Pescosta brothers decorated it with spiral columns, gilded images of ancient church leaders, apostles and angels. The current sculptures and artwork on the main altar are replicas made by local carvers. The originals are on display at the Val Gardena Museum in Ortisei.

GUIDED TOURS to the church weekly in Winter and Summer. Reservation and more details at the Tourist Office Ortisei.

The Franciscan Church was consecrated by the archbishop of Bressanone in 1697. The church is characterised by being back to basics, as the friar churches built during the Counter-Reformation clearly differ from traditional Collegiate Churches dedicated to belongings and culture through their simple and clear method of construction (planning: Franciscan friar Vitus Rastbichler from the Ötztal Valley). The Order's ideal of simplicity and poverty is reflected in the absence of a high bell tower and complex vaults and frescoes. After the entrance there's the small Chapel of Saint Anthony annexed to the nave destined for private meditation. The Fathers originally recited the choral prayers from the gallery. Not much of what distinguished the initial version of the church remains to be seen today, with the exception of the large oil paintings behind the side altars and the Franciscan saints on the southern wall. Today's altars are nice examples of Rococo art. The careful restoration works performed between 1992 and 1994 provided the Convent with its original appearance. The restoration project was awarded the Europa Nostra Prize in June, 1994. Visiting hours: daily (except Monday morning) 8 am - 6.30 pm

The 19th century Neo-Gothic nave was dismantled in 1988 and replaced by an 8-sided building. This remarkable church is decorated with several paintings, carvings, statues and images (among which a statue of St. Ulrich by Ludwig Moroder and the altar painting depicting the Adoration of the Magi by Josef Moroder-Lusenberg).

In 2022, on the initiative of the meditation group of La Val, and under the direction of labyrinth expert Gernot Candolini, a labyrinth was built in the centre of the area occupied by the former church of San Genesio. It is a simple Gothic labyrinth, consisting of five paths traced with brook stones. Many things here in Dlijia vedla remind us of the transience of life: the remains walls of the old church, the abandoned cemetery.

Memento mori - Memento vivere!

Everything passes quickly, and the moment never stops. So be shrewd and aware, enjoy the view, feel the hope that lurks in life, let yourself be inspired and blessed by goodness and change.

"This place here is a place of power, you must make use of it" Dr. Karl Gruber, Regional Conservator

Josef Runggaldier commissioned this parish in 1900 to honour St. Joseph as a sign of his gratitude after having survived an accident whilst working in the woods. A painting inside the church depicts the episode. The extension project was stopped in 1979. However, a new church was started in 1981 and consecrated in 1984.

The late Gothic church of Colfosco, with the Sella Massif in the background, is a popular photo motif of the Dolomites.

The parish church of St. Vigil was first mentioned in 1419. In the following years it was restored and expanded several times.

Particularly interesting are the neo-Gothic lobby on the outer facade with a grooved and beveled pointed arch portal, the bulbous spire and the church altar. This dates from the late 19th century and is from the local artist Johann Valentin - Badia. In the middle niche of the altar there is an 18th century picture of the Virgin Mary and on the sides there are the statues of St. Vigilius and St. Kassian. For safety reasons, the valuable statue of St. Vigilius has been replaced with a copy.