Franziskuskapelle Arbing

The Franziskuskapelle inaugurated on October 7, 2011 by Bishop Maximilian Aichern , west of the Arbingen cemetery

The Franziskuskapelle is a private prayer room in Arbing in the Perg district in Upper Austria .

The location of the building is on private property on the Schlossberg near the parish church of Arbing, west of the local cemetery. A special feature of from dark gray colored concrete made chapel the missing roof applies to gaze to steer clear up and the Franciscan style recreate. It forms an architectural ensemble with the portal of the local cemetery.

Establishment

The chapel was built between 2009 and 2011 based on impressions from a pilgrimage to Assisi on the initiative of Rafael Hintersteiner. The project was initially created in 2009 as a wayside shrine, continued with the construction of the chapel in 2010 and completed in summer 2011. The total cost of the chapel, which was built on a private property in agreement with the local parish council , came to around 11,000 euros, which was raised from scholarships , a benefit event and private funds.

The chapel was inaugurated on October 7, 2011 by the former Bishop of Linz Maximilian Aichern in the presence of Monsignor Johann Zauner, Dean Konrad Hörmanseder, Dean Karl Wögerer and Deacon Fritz Pichler and has since been available to the population for prayer and other sacred purposes such as baptisms . It is dedicated to Saint Francis .

A small offer

North view of the chapel - model 1:10

The Franziskuskapelle does not correspond to the conventional design type for a chapel. It is a small cubic room with an offer to pause and remember. The theme is not the closeness to nature associated with Francis, but simplicity and openness, reduction to the elementary, restraint in symbolism. A meditation room was created that allows a lot, is open to everyone. A place where you can “step into yourself” in search of inner peace according to the quote “pax et bonum” embedded in the outer wall. If you stand in front of the chapel, it makes a very secluded impression. Black concrete walls surround the room, which is only six square meters in size, and the missing ceiling is supposed to divert the gaze away from the everyday. Small niches for candles or memorial pictures tie in with the traditional mysticism in this barren room. A small bell at the entrance gives visitors the opportunity to “purify” their reflection.

West view with St. Francis stele
Interior view at night
Design plan

Awards

For the project, Rafael Hintersteiner received the performance and support grant from the Art University Linz as well as the state cultural promotion of Upper Austria.

literature

Veronika Müller: “Small” offer - a new chapel in Arbing , in: Kulturbericht Oberösterreich, Oberösterreich monthly. Culture, 65th year, episode 10, October 2011 with the Upper Austria. Museum Journal, Linz 2011, p. 13
Linde Klement (Architekturforum Oberösterreich): Franziskuskapelle Arbing - Rafael Hintersteiner (A) 2011, in: Federal Ministry for Education, Art and Culture
"Pax et bonum", in: Architektur & BAUForum - Streifzüge, the Austrian specialist magazine for building culture in Austria