Barbarakapelle auf der Bielerhöhe

The Barbarakapelle stands on the Bielerhöhe in the Silvretta range, a high alpine plateau in Vorarlberg. It belongs to the Illwerke vkw AG and sits in the village of Partenen within the municipality of Gaschurn. The chapel is protected as a listed monument, recognising its cultural importance. Its setting is remote, surrounded by rugged mountains and open moorland at over 2,000 metres above sea level. The road to the Bielerhöhe is closed in winter, making summer access the only option. The chapel was built to honour those who died during the construction of nearby hydroelectric plants.

The chapel was designed by Hubert Fragner and completed between 1965 and 1967. August Burtscher served as construction director for the Illwerke. It was consecrated by Weihbischof Bruno Wechner on 23 September 1967. The bell and a marble relief both carry the inscription ‘Gedenket der Opfer, die ein großes Werk gefordert hat’, reminding visitors of those who gave their lives. In 2008 a plaque was added to one side wall, dedicated to forced labourers and prisoners of war who died during the Second World War.

Inside, the rectangular chapel has a wooden shingle roof and a small tower above the altar area. The entrance features a porch with a sloping roof. The plain glass windows were later replaced with stained glass in lead frames. On the altar wall a marble relief of the cross was carved by Herbert Albrecht. The bell, cast by Grassmayr of Innsbruck, hangs in the tower. The chapel remains a quiet place of remembrance amid the vast alpine landscape.