Kapelle Hl. Michael

The small Roman Catholic chapel of St Michael stands in the hamlet of Farnach, part of the village of Bildstein in the Bregenz district of Vorarlberg. It sits at 747 metres above sea level and is protected as a listed monument. The chapel is dedicated to the Archangel Michael and is looked after by the nearby pilgrimage church in Bildstein. Its feast day is celebrated on 26 September. The present building was erected in 1899 without a predecessor on the site. The rough structure with bells cost 2,400 gulden. The chapel was consecrated on 8 May 1901. Bells were added in 1899, again in the 1920s after the First World War, and once more in 1949 after the Second World War. A full renovation took place in 1982. The chapel occupies a central position in Farnach. It has an almost rectangular plan, aligned west to east, with the altar at the east end. The west front carries a simple door and a square bell turret topped with copper sheeting. The walls are made of local sandstone and finished in white plaster. Inside, a chancel arch separates the nave from the sanctuary, where a crucifix hangs above. The ceiling follows the roof line yet gives the impression of a vault. Coloured glass windows line the walls. To the south side is a small sacristy, and above the entrance stands a statue of St Michael carved by Erich Winder in 1982.