Innichen Abbey

Innichen, Italy

The Abbey of Innichen was founded in the 8th century and rebuilt in the 12th–13th centuries. Its collegiate church is considered the most important Romanesque building in Tyrol and the Eastern Alps and, it is home to a 13th-century sculpture and a fresco cycle from the same age in the dome.

The original abbey was founded in 769, when Tassilo III, duke of Bavaria gave to abbot Atto von Scharnitz some lands going from the current Monguelf to Abfaltersbach, provided that a Benedictine convent would be founded here, to convert the Pagan Slavs who had settled in the area. Of this original construction, however, no certain traces have been found.

The church was entirely rebuilt from 1140: of this edifice today the external walls, the piers, the apses and the crypt remain. A second reconstruction was carried out from around 1240, when the vaults of the crypt and the nave, the transept and the dome at the crossing were added, including the frescoes with the History of Creation. The large bell tower was built later, from 1323 to 1326.

Architecture

The church has a simple façade, in crude stone blocks. Over the central portal are two small mullioned windows, surmounted by a small frame dividing the façade in two and a rose window. On the left is the massive bell tower, also in stone, with a square plane: each of the sides has a row of thin mullioned windows, except for the top floors, which have a larger single- and double- mullioned windows. The top is pyramidal in shape.

The rear area is more complex. The crossing is the background of a descending sequence of blocks, started by the presbytery, and followed by the nave's apse, the roofs of the aisles' apses and finally the apses themselves. Another block on the left is the sacristy. The apses' exterior is decorated by Lombard bands.

On the right side are a pilaster-shaped tabernacle, frescoed in the 15th century, and the Museum of the Collegiate.

Interior

The interior has a nave and two aisles, the latter smaller in height, with a transept, a presbytery and three aisles. At the crossing is a crypt. This houses a 13th-century wooden sculpture portraying on the two patron saints of the church.

The dome is frescoed with the Stories of Creation, painted in the 13th century.

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Details

Founded: 1140
Category: Religious sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Marcello Martini (3 years ago)
Visited several times. One of the most important and oldest churches in the pusteria valley. Great choice to visit us ....
Jane Marpel (4 years ago)
In the 8th century under "Duke Tassilo III." the Benedictine monastery of "Saint Candidus" was built. In the 12th century the church was rebuilt due to the conversion of the abbey into a collegiate monastery, the "Innichen Abbey". In the collegiate church you can see "late Romanesque dome frescoes" from around 1280. show the biblical story of creation. A "large crucifixion group" from the time 1250 hangs in the chancel! A statue of the "patron saints of St. Candidus" from 1250 as well as late Gothic portraits of the "patron saints of the church Candidus and Korbinian" can also be found in the "Innichen collegiate church!" A visit to d. San Candido Collegiate Church is more than worth it and the "San Candido Collegiate Church" is part of the "HIGH AND HOLY" pilgrimage program (under stage 4!)!
Marco Kabler (4 years ago)
Located in the center of San Candido, beautiful from the outside, beautiful inside, the golden statues that contrast with the white of the facade immediately strike
Corrado Riva (4 years ago)
View only from the outside: beautiful and impressive when compared to those of the area
Tammy Bonafede (5 years ago)
This church is located at the center of San Candido, is considered the most beautiful and important Romanesque building in South Tyrol. It is very simple from the outside,but rich in history and is worth visiting, this is just behind the Parish church of St. Michael.
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