St. Michael, church building in Neustift, Italy
St. Michael is a parish church in Vahrn, South Tyrol, built of stone and wood with a small bell tower. The interior features baroque elements including ornate ceiling frescoes, a large organ, altar statues by sculptor Johann Perger, and paintings depicting the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael in various scenes.
The oldest parts of the church date back to 1038 in Romanesque style, but it was expanded in the late 1400s with Gothic features and redesigned around 250 years later in the Baroque style. Since the 1200s it has served as the parish church for Vahrn and surrounding villages, and in 1570 it conducted the region's first official census.
The church is named after the Archangel Michael and has served as the spiritual center of Vahrn's community for many centuries. Today, locals still gather here for weddings, baptisms, and celebrations, keeping their traditions and connection to the past alive.
The church sits on a gentle slope with views over fields and distant mountains and is easily reached on foot. Visitors should explore the interior during quiet times and be respectful, as services and special ceremonies take priority.
A Gothic wooden sculpture of Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus carry the cross is the only surviving piece from the original Gothic interior and remains on the side altar. This rare work shows the artistic quality the church possessed in medieval times.
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