Kaplaneikirche Heiligkreuz

The Kaplaneikirche Heiligkreuz stands in the small settlement of Heiligkreuz, part of the Sölden municipality in the Ötztal valley in Tirol. It sits high above the Venter Ache gorge, between the hamlets of Zwieselstein and Vent. The church was built in 1804 and restored in 1976. A cemetery surrounds the building, adding to its quiet, reflective atmosphere. The church belongs to the Silz deanery in the Diocese of Innsbruck and is protected as a listed monument. The church’s architecture reflects a blend of late Baroque and early Classicist styles. The tower rises from the choir end and has flat-arched sound windows leading to an eight-sided transition under its onion dome. Inside, a three-bay nave leads to a slightly recessed, basket-arched choir, both covered by shallow barrel vaults with lunettes. The painted ceilings were added in 1936 by Ludwig Sturm, depicting the Nativity in the choir and Saint Helena’s discovery of the Cross in the nave. The high altar houses a crucifix from 1710, while the right side altar features a painting of the Holy Family by Leopold Puellacher, completed in 1820 and later restored. Visitors find a simple yet elegant interior with furnishings from the early 19th century. The pulpit shows reliefs of Christ and the Samaritan woman, the calling of the apostles, and Christ with the apostles. Side figures of Saints Joachim and Anna flank the family altar, whose antependium depicts the Flight into Egypt. The church’s setting, with its sweeping views over the gorge and surrounding mountains, makes it a peaceful destination for those seeking quiet and tradition.