Johannes-Nepomuk-Kirche (Obergurgl)

The parish church of Obergurgl stands in the village of Obergurgl, part of the municipality of Sölden in the Austrian Alps. Built at 1,927 metres above sea level, it is the highest parish church in Austria and protected as a listed monument. The church is dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, a 14th-century Bohemian martyr. The church began as a small chapel in 1726 and was enlarged in 1737 after John of Nepomuk was canonised. In 1891 it became a parish church. The architect Clemens Holzmeister added an organ loft and side chapel in 1924. A further expansion in 1966 created a new sanctuary dedicated to Saint Paul, with a central altar allowing the Mass to be celebrated facing either way. The interior features ceiling paintings by Rudolf Margreiter from 1930. Inside, visitors find a processional cross from about 1755 attributed to Joseph Götsch and a bell cast by Jakob Graßmayr in 1726. The church’s three-bay nave has round-arched windows and a ribbed barrel vault. The northern tower rises with a pointed gable roof. The contrast between the older baroque structure and the modern extension shows how the building has grown over centuries.