Church of St. Paul (BZ)
Rosary Altar / Mary Altar
Neo-Gothic, mid-19th century, Michael Stolz from Innsbruck; relief scenes: the 15 mysteries of the rosary around the miraculous image of the Mother of God to the "Dear Lady in St. Paul's" (around 1430, painted terracotta); until the 1969s, St. Paul's was a well-known place of pilgrimage to this miraculous image.
Mary with baby Jesus
Very artistic sculpture made of painted wood under a neo-Gothic canopy; around 1460 from the circle of artists Hans Multscher and Leonhard von Brixen; serious heads, gentle posture, broken folds of clothing; content statement related to the location: baby Jesus with grapes.
Choir stalls
17th century, Baroque; richly decorated carvings with herm pilasters, angel heads, pilasters and triangular gables;
Info
The construction of this massive building took over 250 years, which is why the substructure and central section are in the style of German late Gothic, while the top with the onion dome clearly dates from the Italian Baroque period.
Baptismal font
Pulpit
To the organ stool
4th floor bell room (1665)
Swallow's Nest Organ
2002 Reconstruction of a wall organ by Léon Verschueren (Heythuysen/Netherlands), unique in South Tyrol; the so-called "Schwarzenbach organ" (Hans Schwarzenbach from Füssen/Allgäu) was installed there between 1599 and 1601, which was later installed in the choir gallery and finally sold to Auer; today, after restoration, it is one of the oldest organs in South Tyrol.
Bundle pillars
Support for tower – based on large cathedral buildings; around 1500 according to plans by the Swabian master Jakob Zwitzel; 2nd construction phase (westwork) of the late Gothic new building.
Madonna with Child Jesus
Sculpture of the Madonna with the Child from the 15th century
Oil painting Paul's Conversion
End of the 17th century by Josef Anton Kößler from the Eppan painter dynasty Platzer/Kessler; very moving scene about Saul's fall from his horse at the appearance of Christ; after this encounter the pagan Saul becomes the Christian apostle Paul.
Gravestones
Made of red or white marble or sandstone from the noble families of Eppan; also on the outside walls of the church; once there was also a cemetery around the church.
Annemarie “the Big One”
There is also a legend about this bell: When the residents once wanted to take away the bell in the tower of the parish church of St. Paul's, the bell began to speak on the way: „Annemarie is in Old weather knew Olle weather drives away i “I’m staying in Paulsner Turm!” (My name is Anna-Maria, all weather I know, I drive away all weather, I'll stay in the Paulsner Tower!) The people were so frightened that they immediately put the bell back in its place, where it still hangs today.
Tower
[> Directly to the bell tower](https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=FYwsaUyWRaA&sr=-1.34,1.4&ss=212)85 m high; various construction phases, from 1500 to the mid-17th century; unique design, due to the long construction phase, changes in stylistic sense and financial possibilities; 100 steps;
Marble busts of the 12 apostles
Around 1569 by the Vinschgau sculptor Wolf Verdroß, originally console figures from the castle chapel of Lichtenberg (Vinschgau)
3rd floor clocks and ringing room
Lenten veil
The Lenten veil has its origins in the so-called Passion cloths. They were used to cover objects such as altars, crosses, reliquaries and pictures before Easter. The radiant shine of these objects should not be seen during the solemn Lent period. A request to put up a cloth that covers the entire altar was first found around the year 1000.
High Altar (Hidden)
Crucifixion group and the Saints Peter and Paul; neo-Gothic, built around 1860-65 as part of the redesign of the interior together with the two side altars (painter and woodcarver Michael Stolz from Innsbruck); previously there was a baroque altar.
Death shields
Large funerary shields in terracotta, round or in hexagonal form; depiction: coat of arms and crest; donations from the well-known noble families of Eppan, such as the Counts of Firmian, the Khuen-Belasi, the von Thun and others.
Sacristy
Organ
At the choir: "Reinisch organ" (organ builder Franz Reinisch from Steinach/Tyrol) 1885; 25-register mechanical cone-loading organ, ideal as an accompanying instrument for choral singing. Previously there was a "Schwarzenbach organ", then (1689) "Casparini organ" (master Eugenio Casparini from Silesia), but severely damaged by several lightning strikes.
Crucifix
Monumental triumphal arch cross, early 14th century, from the Romanesque-Gothic transition period; very beautiful carving of the suffering and triumphant Christ.
Bells
There are 9 bells in the tower, the largest of which weighs 5 tons. It is the second largest bell in South Tyrol. It was cast by the Grassmayr bell foundry in Innsbruck. Its tone corresponds to a low A.
Crucifix
Monumental cross, early 16th century from the workshop of Jörg Arzt; expressive face, anatomically emphasized posture; crumpled loincloth.
Side Altar Paul Altar
Neo-Gothic, mid-19th century; scenes from the life of St. Paul (conversion; patronal feast: 25 January)
Altarpiece of the Assumption of Mary
Around 1632, from the former baroque main altar, removed during the neo-Gothic interior design in the mid-19th century; today on the southern side wall; painter Michael Christoph Gramberger from Krems/A.
