Kapelle zum Hl. Geist

The Chapel of the Holy Spirit stands on a small hill in the hamlet of Bichl, part of Prägraten am Großvenediger in the Austrian Alps. Built in the 17th century, it was enlarged in 1752 and consecrated in 1759. The chapel survived the closures ordered by Emperor Joseph II in 1786. A careful restoration between 1992 and 1994 preserved its original character. Inside, the rectangular nave is topped by a flat barrel vault painted in 1905 by Josef Weiskopf. The ceiling shows the IHS monogram surrounded by cherubs and the four Evangelists. The altar, made around 1750, depicts the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary. Wooden figures of St Anthony and St Peter flank the altar, while a set of 18th-century Stations of the Cross lines the walls. The chapel sits at the centre of a grassy meadow, its white walls trimmed with yellow and its steep shingle roof crowned by a small wooden bell tower. The entrance is marked by a round-arched door and a gable window. Around it, houses stand about fifty metres away, keeping the view open. The wooden floor and raised sanctuary add warmth to the space, while the painted panels of King David and St Cecilia in the choir complete the interior.