The St. Proculus Church and Museum
A small church

The little St. Proculus Church is a gem of art history which, in spite of intensive international research, still holds many secrets. Due to its tower with double-arched windows and brick spire, the church appears Romanesque at first glance. In fact, however, the tower was only added around 1185. The church itself was actually built much earlier, probably at the end of the 8th century.

On the inside, the church boasts a unique fresco cycle, which was considered a sensational find among experts after it was uncovered in 1923. The fresco features angels, saints, the now famous “The Saint on the Swing” and even a herd of cattle. These depictions are amongst the earliest examples of pre-Romanesque mural painting in the Alpine region. Who painted the frescoes and what some of the images and symbols mean remains a mystery. Since no comparable fresco cycle has been found to date, their chronological and artistic classification is a challenging task. Using different approaches, scientists have dated their origin anywhere from the 8th to the 10th centuries. Experts do agree, however, that the painting of the triumphal arch wall and the choir are much older than the frescoes in the nave.

It is nothing short of a miracle that the painted mortar has not long since fallen off. In fact, the frescoes were rediscovered only by chance in 1912, when a piece of plaster came loose from the wall. The church was raised in the 14th century and then painted with high Gothic frescoes. However, since the church grounds served as a plague cemetery during the rickettsial epidemic in the 17th century, the interior walls were completely whitewashed with limestone afterwards.

Today, the Gothic frescoes can once again be viewed in the upper, raised section, and the original, early medieval painting can be admired in the lower section. Those Gothic paintings, which once lay over the first painting, were removed using the strappo technique and are now on display in the PROCULUS MUSEUM next door. This excellent modern, educational museum houses impressive archaeological finds from the St. Proculus Church and takes visitors on an exciting journey through time using multimedia stations.