Spitalkirche in Sterzing

The Holy Spirit Hospital Church was built from 1399 to 1402. Along with the church, the adjacent building was also constructed, which was originally a hospital and hospice for the care of the elderly, sick, and pilgrims on their way to Italy. The hospital and the pilgrims were of great significance for Sterzing, which can also be seen in the Sterzing city coat of arms. This shows a pilgrim with a walking stick and rosary under the red eagle.

The construction of the Holy Spirit Hospital and the hospital church fell into the time of the upswing in Sterzing. In the 14th century, mining on a large scale had begun in the Wipptal and the adjacent side valleys, which led to the prosperity of Sterzing. Many trading families settled in Sterzing, including the legendary Fugger family from Augsburg. This led to brisk building activity in the town; the town hall, the Twelve Towers, and the parish church were built, as well as many patrician houses that still characterize the cityscape today.

The hospital church surprises the visitor inside with a high space full of unexpected splendor of colors. The walls and vaults are most artfully adorned with magnificent frescoes created by the South Tyrolean painter Hans von Bruneck between 1400 and 1415. Hans von Bruneck was one of the founders and main representatives of the famous Puster Valley School of Painting of the 15th century, which also included, for example, Michael Pacher. The frescoes in the hospital church represent the most important statements of the Christian creed, with the individual scenes merging into one large painting. During later modifications of the church space, these valuable frescoes had been painted over and were only uncovered again in 1939 during renovation work. During another renovation in the 1980s, the frescoes were then professionally restored and cleaned of all overpainting. Today, this significant cycle of frescoes can be admired again in all its original glory and symbolic power.

The Sterzing Holy Spirit Hospital Church is open daily throughout the year from 8:30 am to 12 pm and from 2:30 pm to 6 pm, except on Saturday afternoons and Sundays when it is closed.