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Chiesa di Santa Maria del Conforto
This area was the location of an early pagan settlement which was then taken over by Christians. It’s probably for this reason that this present building rose out of these historic ashes.
The top of this bell tower is quite unusual because the Romanesque tower was given a new octagonal top built in 1889 to replace a Baroque one.
Illustrated here is a magnificent Crucifixion, saints Dorotea, Caterina, Sigismondo, Antonio Abate and Leonardo. Underneath them is St Michele who is seen weighing the soul of the dead and the triumph over death. This was copied from the church of San Giovanni ai Domenicani Di Bolzano. Lastly, is this one of saints Erasmo and Nicolo who are protectors against floods.
They may have been completed around 1386 although it’s also possible that they did not appear until the church was restored after the disastrous flood of 1419, hence the last one of Erasmo and Nicolo.
Incidentally, the first records of this church of Santa Maria can be traced back to 1273.
Around the northern facing wall are headstones with many Germanic names inscribed on them, some dating back to the early 19th century. It’s noted here that Giovanni di Boemia helped to enlarge the church in 1341 on this particular side of the graveyard.
In 1828 a portico was added to the front of the church while that same year Anton Klapeer da Nauders was responsible for this magnificent fresco displaying scenes from the Old Testament.
Internally, many works of art were sadly lost over time. Some however still exude a certain historical significance. The importance of these Byzantine frescoes cannot be over emphasised and marks a particular era for local artists at the time. Notwithstanding churches this culture was also taken to the Appiano and Grissiano Castles. One such painter here who encouraged this contemporary line was Alberto di Tirolo.
The internal Romanesque frescoes date to around 1200 and may be even slightly before. The main one on the ceiling was the work of A. Puellacher in 1780.
Between 1967-1974 restoration of the church building and frescoes was carried out by the association of Belle Arti.
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