Wilten basilica

The Wiltener Basilica (also known as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception or Our Lady under the Four Pillars ) is a Roman Catholic church in the Wilten district of Innsbruck . It serves as the parish church of the Wilten parish in the diocese of Innsbruck and is also a much-visited pilgrimage church . The basilica is looked after by the Premonstratensians of the Wilten Abbey opposite .

history

Parish church and Wilten Abbey around 1840

Since Wilten was the oldest Catholic parish in the region, it is also considered the mother parish of the city of Innsbruck . The remains of a previous church, which was dated to the time of early Christianity, the 5th century, were found under the church building that exists today. According to legend, Roman legionaries from Fort Veldidena already worshiped an image of Mary at this location.

In 1140 the Wilten parish was taken over by the Premonstratensian Order , and from 1259 a church of Our Lady was chartered, to which a lively pilgrimage soon began.

The church building that exists today was built as a replacement for the dilapidated previous building 1751–1756 under the priest and master builder Franz de Paula Penz as a new building in rococo style according to plans by Joseph Stapf from Pfronten , who also designed most of the sculptures. This church is now one of the most visited attractions in the city.

In recognition of its historical importance, the Wilten parish church was opened in 1957 by Pope Pius XII. raised to the papal basilica minor .

Building description

Furnishing

Interior, view of the choir

The interior of the church is kept in the most delicate colors, mixed with a lot of gold and delicate Rococo stucco by Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer and Anton Gigl . Ceiling paintings by Matthäus Günther from Augsburg show scenes from the life of Mary . The high altar with its four columns is covered by a huge crown. Underneath in the halo is the miraculous image , an approximately 90 cm high statue of Our Lady with a child, carved from sandstone, in the High Gothic style from the first half of the 14th century, which gave the church its name. The baroque facade of the church shows off the wide space in front of it.

organ

View of the organ

The church has an organ from Franz Reinisch II. From Steinach am Brenner from 1894 with 24 registers , which was installed in the old case from 1758. In 2003 the successor company Pirchner carried out a restoration. Today the instrument has 24 stops on two manuals and a pedal .

I main work C – f ³

1.

Drone

16 ′

2.

Covered

8th'

3.

Principal

8th'

4th

Principal piano

8th'

5.

Salicional

8th'

6th

Gamba

8th'

7th

Octav

4 ′

8th.

Pointed flute

4 ′

9.

Cornett

2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′

10.

Mixture V

2 ′

11.

Trumpet

8th'

II Swell C – f ³

12.

Violin principal

8th'

13.

Covered

8th'

14th

Dolce

8th'

15th

Aeoline

8th'

16.

Flauto

8th'

17th

Reed flute

4 ′

18th

Fugara

4 ′

Pedals C – f ¹

19th

Sub bass

16 ′

20th

Flute bass

16 ′

21st

Violon

16 ′

22nd

Octave bass

8th'

23.

cello

4 ′

24.

trombone

16 ′

Wilten parish cemetery

The small cemetery of the Wilten parish is located around the basilica. This complex, also known as the old Wilten cemetery , should not be confused with the much larger Wilten cemetery , which is under the administration of Wilten Abbey and is separated from the parish cemetery by Pastorstrasse. The important personalities who have found their final resting place in the parish cemetery include the artist Hans Andre , the Tyrolean governor Hans Tschiggfrey and the Austro-Hungarian Colonel General Viktor Dankl von Krasnik .