Höttinger Bild, Protected heritage chapel in Innsbruck, Austria.
Höttinger Bild is a protected chapel located at 905 meters elevation on the forested slopes of Nordkette mountain near Innsbruck. The small sanctuary sits along quiet hiking trails that connect the surrounding villages and farmlands to the upper slopes.
A student placed a Madonna image on a larch tree in 1675, which led to the construction of a wooden chapel in 1705. The wooden structure was replaced with stone walls in 1774.
Students from Innsbruck visit this chapel to pray before exams, finding a quiet place in the forest for reflection. This practice has continued for more than 300 years and connects the chapel to the daily life of the city.
The chapel is reached through marked hiking trails from Höttinger village or from Hungerburg, with routes that are clearly marked and fairly easy to follow. Good hiking shoes are useful since the paths can be steep and the forest ground is often wet.
The interior features baroque decorations created by Michael Egger in 1794 that have been carefully preserved. Beside the chapel stands an 18th-century crucifixion group and an open-air altar that together form an outdoor sanctuary.
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