Churches

Merano’s churches are also custodians of the city’s art and history: they are, in all respects, part of the historical and artistic heritage of the city.

Visiting the city’s places of worship is an easy way to trace the history of Merano. Its transformation from agricultural village into the celebrated City of Cures is reflected in the history of these institutions, the oldest of which date back to the Middle Ages. In Merano, we have the Gothic style represented in the main cathedral and the ancient frescoes of Chiesa di Santa Maria del Conforto (Maria-Trost-Wallfahrtskirche); there is also, of course, the sober style of the Evangelical church, and the richness of the Synagogue. It may be surprising to hear about places of worship linked to other religious denominations in a place like Merano, but there is a wealth of them.

When the village was thrown into the spotlight as an international tourist centre in the nineteenth century, the village faced the challenge of providing places of worship and confession for its many guests. The cosmopolitan atmosphere of the City of Cures lent itself to a wide variety of faiths: Evangelical, Jewish, Anglican and Russian Orthodox and each community built its place of whorship. A Buddhist centre and Islamic masjic have existed here for some years as well.