Josefskapelle (Bobojach)

The Josefskapelle stands in the small village of Bobojach, part of the municipality of Prägraten am Großvenediger in Tyrol. This 18th-century Baroque chapel is surrounded by tightly packed houses and sits beside the Gasthaus Lindner. A narrow strip of meadow lies along two sides of the building, separating it from the road. The chapel has been protected as a listed monument since its construction. Its whitewashed walls and steep shingle roof give it a quiet presence in the village. The chapel was built in 1760 after a miners’ house with a prayer niche burned down in 1743. The villagers commissioned the new building and dedicated it in 1762. A tower was added in 1803, and in 1969–70 the original gallery was removed during restoration. The interior features a richly decorated altar from 1805, restored in 1970, with marble-like painting and carved figures. The main painting shows Saint Joseph with the Christ Child, while the upper panel depicts the Holy Trinity. Inside, visitors find a barrel-vaulted ceiling with simple ribs and a tiled floor. The altar area is raised one step above the nave. Wooden pews with curved ends date from around 1800. The walls hold oil-on-canvas Stations of the Cross from 1763–64. Among the statues are a figure of Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus, a Pietà, and a Madonna of the Rosary. A small glass case contains a Christ Child figure, and outside stands a standing cross before the high altar.