Ortskapelle Berndorf

The Ortskapelle in Berndorf is a small chapel dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. It stands in the village of Berndorf, part of Hitzendorf in Styria. The chapel was consecrated in 1903 after a long period when a wayside shrine marked the site. The chapel’s design comes from Hans Brandstetter, a local sculptor born nearby. He chose a Gothic style for the building, and his own Pietà sculpture sits on the altar. A single bell was installed at first, but in 1984 an electric ringing system replaced it. The villagers raised money and even sold a piece of community woodland to pay for the chapel’s construction in the late 19th century. Inside, visitors see Brandstetter’s Pietà and a restored Stations of the Cross from 1965. The walls and roof were repainted in 1984 and again in 2012 after earlier damage in the First World War. The chapel’s quiet interior and simple Gothic lines make it a place for reflection in the heart of the village.