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Ann Cleeves | all galleries >> OTHER THEMED GALLERIES >> CHURCH INTERIORS > CHAPEL INTERIOR
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10-SEP-2009

CHAPEL INTERIOR

Silbertal - Vorarlberg

The chapel of St. Agatha on the Kristberg mountain is the oldest church still standing in the Montafon Valley. It was built in the early 1400s and owes its existence to mining. Legend has it that there had been a mining tunnel at the very spot, which caved in while men were working in it, and buried them alive. Lying under the rubble, the miners promised to build a church in honour of St. Agatha (patron saint of miners) if they were ever rescued. They were indeed rescued and kept their promise.

The building as it stands today is not as it was originally. Extensive work and enlargements were done in 1507, as shown by the inscription on one of the arches. The old wooden roof is notable for its two steep sides and horizontal middle part. The Gothic altar is very special as it is double-winged, made around 1470. The crucifixion group on the cross-girder just in front of the choir arch has a late-Gothic crucifix from the early 17th century. On the sides are even older small figures of Mary and St. John. The left side altar built in 1713 is Baroque, with its twisted pillars and rich patterns. The right side altar is dated 1633. An early Gothic statue of St. Agatha stands in its shrine. The head has been repainted, but the robes are the original gold. It is among the oldest artworks in Montafon churches - along with the three Roman statues of a bishop, the sitting Madonna & child and St. Helena, which also stand in this altar






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