The City Museum of Chiusa, located in the historic building of a former Capuchin monastery, is dedicated to the impressive Chiusa artists' colony as well as the significant Loreto treasure.
The origins of the museum date back to the year 1914, when a local heritage museum was founded. However, during the fascist era, its art treasures had to be transferred to the City Museum of Bolzano. In 1978, it was possible to bring these exhibits back to Chiusa and exhibit them in the Capuchin monastery, a foundation of the Spanish Queen Maria Anna from the year 1699, on the initiative of her confessor Father Gabriel Pontifeser. Since 1992, the City Museum of Chiusa has been open to visitors.
The artworks are displayed in two spacious rooms on the ground floor. The first room presents works by Alexander Koester (1864-1932), a member of the Munich School and prominent representative of the Chiusa artists' colony. In the second room, the former sacristy, there are further works of this artists' community, which existed between 1874 and 1920 and established Chiusa as a place of romantic inspiration for artists like Albin Egger-Lienz.
On the upper floor, visitors will find the jewel of the museum: the Loreto treasure, a unique collection of predominantly Spanish and Italian artworks from the 16th and 17th centuries, mainly donated by the Spanish King Charles II and his wife Maria Anna as well as by nobles at the Spanish court. A walk through the baroque Capuchin Church of Saint Felix of Cantalice, accessible via a 17th-century cloister, completes the museum visit.
Accessibility: The museum is located near the lower town, at the address Frag 1. A large parking lot and a bus stop are in close proximity.
Contact information:
- Address: Capuchin monastery, Frag 1, 39043 Chiusa
- Telephone: +39 0472 846148
- Email: museum@klausen-bz.it
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