from Bellwald

CHURCHES & CHAPELS

Chapel Maria zum Schnee (Alpe Richinen)

The date of construction is chiselled into the lintel of the chapel: "M 16 + 94". In 1756, a renovation with renewal of the ceiling was carried out. Another renovation took place in 1885/1886. Most of the work during the last major restoration in 1987/1988 was carried out by Stefan Holzer from Bellwald.

 

 

Parish Church of Maria Sieben Freuden

The parish church Maria Sieben Freuden was built in 1698. The church was consecrated on 10 September 1704 by Bishop Franz Joseph Supersaxo. It was renovated in 1976 with the help and according to the plans of the Swiss preservation of historical monuments. In front of the parish church of Maria Sieben Freuden there was a small chapel dedicated to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The church tower is original, the top storey protrudes. Twice the tower has been struck by lightning. The first time was in 1870: during Sunday vespers, a violent thunderstorm was brewing. The lightning struck the tower, ran through the church and killed the organist and a singer in the organ gallery. The second time a violent storm raged was on 22 August 1973, when lightning struck the 2.5 metre high cross and ignited the shingle roof. A fire was prevented by the immediate intervention of the fire brigade.

 

 

Chapel of the Ossuary (Village)

It was built in 1733/1734 and completely restored in 1976/1977 together with the parish church. The cemetery chapel is usually also called the chapel of the ossuary, because in former times the bones of the dead, which were found when opening a grave, were piled up here in the cellar. Today, the chapel is used as a burial room.

Chapel hl. Apollonia

Although the chapel is actually on Niederwald parish land, it belongs to the parish of Bellwald. The chapel was probably built in 1666, as this number is carved in the vault medallion of the choir. Originally it was dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God, but later the veneration of St. Apollonia, patron saint against toothache, was added. The altarpiece from 1891 depicts the Holy Virgin and martyr Apollonia in the dungeon. According to legend, her teeth were knocked out when she refused to deny her faith. On a crossbar it can be read: "WER HIER THUT BETEN RECHT VON HERTZEN DEM WIRT NACHLASSEN DEN ZENT SCHMERZN" (free translation: Whoever prays here right from the heart, the pain will subside.). The chapel still fell into disrepair in the second half of the century. Thanks to a testamentary donation by Joseph Wellig from Fiesch, it was possible for it to be restored. It received a new shingle roof in 1964. Thanks to the generous support of Prof. Dr. Xavier Nieberding, the chapel was restored in 1990/1991. The renovation work on the foundations, walls and roof was carried out by Stefan Holzer from Bellwald. The inauguration took place on 24 August 1991.

Mother of God Chapel (Ried)

The houses in the old hamlet of Ried were built on a steeply rising ridge between two marshy areas. In the upper part of the settlement on a rocky outcrop stands the chapel in honour of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Unfortunately, this extraordinary settlement image has suffered greatly in recent decades due to the new buildings in front of it.

 

 

Chapel Maria Krönung (Eggen)

We walk from Bodmen along the road and come to the hamlet of Eggen. Here, too, there is a chapel in honour of Our Lady. It dates from the 17th century. The Gothic statues of a crowning of the Virgin Mary stand out on a hallmarked gold background pierced by the window. The whole group radiates calm, peace and joy. Where this group came from is unknown.

 

 

Lady Chapel (Bodmen)

The road leads us into the hamlet of Bodmen, which was a separate parish until 1821. There, too, a chapel was built to the crowned Mother of God. It dates from the 17th century. The baroque altar from 1684 has two storeys. The choir has a seven-sided barrel vault, the nave a wooden coffered vault.

St.-Anna-Chapel «Zmettjen»

From Fürgangen we climb up the footpath and after a quarter of an hour we come to the Baroque chapel of St. Anna, named after the Mother of Mary. The chapel dates from the first half of the 17th century and has a seven-span barrel vault in the choir and a wooden ceiling in the nave. The choir is closed off by a wooden grille. The baroque altar from 1691 (in the parish church since 1978) is built on two carved leuter benches, one above the other, and consists of three storeys.

 

 

Chapel of the Holy Trinity at Fürgangen

The hamlet of Fürgangen belonged to the parish of Ernen until 1963, since then to Bellwald. The altar table in the Fürgangen chapel is adorned with a baroque fabric antependium. A 17th century crucifix is attached to the top of the connecting beam on both sides.

 

 

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