St. Nikolaus in Rojen, Gothic church in Rojen, South Tyrol, Italy.
St. Nikolaus in Rojen is a Gothic chapel in the municipality of Graun im Vinschgau, South Tyrol, made up of a whitewashed brick nave and a square extension with a tent roof. Inside, the vaulted ceiling is painted and the furnishings are simple wooden benches.
The chapel dates from the Middle Ages and was altered in the 15th century during a plague outbreak, when the interior walls were coated with lime. That layer covered the frescoes for centuries until they were uncovered in more recent times.
The frescoes on the vaulted ceiling were painted by the Merano School and show the birth of Christ alongside the four evangelists with their symbols. The light coming through the narrow windows brings these painted figures into focus in a way that feels immediate and direct.
The chapel key is available at the Rojen/Bergkristall inn, where a deposit is required. Visitors should come prepared for a mountain setting and wear appropriate footwear for the terrain.
The bell tower holds a bell cast in 1470, one of the oldest still in use in the Vinschgau Valley. It was already hanging there before the frescoes disappeared under the lime coating.
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