Throne & Vine

Helping You Explore Italy's Best-Kept Secret — South Tyrol!

Reverent Beauty – Discover the Wayside Shrines of South Tyrol

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Wayside Shrine in Seiser Alm, South Tyrol, ItalyiconSouth Tyrol is a land of endearing traditions. Celebrating age-old customs is embraced and nourished. South Tyroleans maintain heartfelt respect for solemn acts of faith — cultivating a historic cultural garden with wayside shrines set among the most beautiful mountains in the world. 

The preservation of its Alpine roots is one of South Tyrol’s more charming aspects. Travelers to this scenic gem get to reap the benefits. You’ll take in sacred sights that can deeply move you as much as its riveting mountains, lakes, castles and villages. 

To this day, South Tyroleans creatively express their spirituality through a custom born in Christianity’s earliest years. Ancient Rome’s persecution of the first Christians made the open construction of churches virtually impossible. In their place, the faithful erected small monuments with cryptic Christian symbols to conceal worship from Rome’s soldiers. These hidden “signposts” became the earliest Christian shrines.

wayside-shrines
Wayside shrines like this one beautify vineyards throughout South Tyrol.

When Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, decriminalized Christianity in 313 A.D. by issuing the Edict of Milan, mass persecution of Christians ended. Churches sprung up across Catholic Europe and the tradition of hidden shrines evolved into open illuminations of faith.

With South Tyrol’s position in the Alps, the land became a bridge so to speak for Christians traveling between northern and southern Europe. Pilgrims would frequently cross over the mountainous landscape where they could encounter danger at any turn.

Wayside shrines were welcome sights to those who made the road their home. Not only did they serve a spiritual purpose, but also as markers to religious sites such as the Abbey of Novacella (Neustift Monastery). This ancient monastery is nestled near Brixen, South Tyrol’s oldest town, and is one of the oldest wineries in the world.  

⇒ READ MORE: A Swirl with Antiquity – Visiting the Abbey of Novacella

Each Path its Wayside Shrine

Today, one cannot wander in South Tyrol without encountering the sacred craftsmanship of wayside shrines. As author John L. Stoddard noted more than 100 years ago:

Each vineyard has its crucifix, each path its wayside shrine,
Where flowers adorn the Virgin’s brow, and crown the Child divine;
And few will pass those sacred spots without a lifted eye,
A crossing of the weary breast, a prayer, — at least a sigh.

Whether we’re hiking a high mountain trail or meandering along a path in a valley, we always find them a delightful surprise. They seem to welcome you out of nowhere — poetically watching over the trail. Inviting a moment of prayer or reflection.

Set along paths, roads and nestled in quaint village nooks, South Tyrol’s wayside shrines come in countless shapes and sizes. No matter how big or small, simple or elaborate, local residents take great care to beautifully harmonize them with the natural surroundings.

An Alpine Shrine in the Dolomites

Wayside Shrine in Lajen, Italy

Each is tenderly crafted from wood or stone. And within many, you’ll find a crucifix or an image of the Madonna hauntingly expressed in various artistic forms. 

Some also bear rosaries, photographs and other thoughtfully-carved prayers and blessings. The faithful will even keep candles burning, softly lighting all that the shrine holds. Quite often native flowers spring from the foot of shrines intimately binding them with heaven and earth.

Finding the Shrines of South Tyrol

Whether your South Tyrolean adventures carry you to the lofty heights of the Alps or through the bountiful orchards flourishing within valleys, you’ll come across shrines and crucifixes. Some of our favorites are along South Tyrol’s Waalwegs, ancient water channels that weave throughout the mountains and vineyards bestowing pure Alpine water from snow-capped peaks.

But where wayside shrines captivate us the most is in the Dolomites. The sight of a wayside shrine against a backdrop of towering stone spires breaking into the Alpine sky is breathtaking. Whether trekking to Seceda mountain or meandering across the prairies of Alpe di Siusi, several notable wayside shrines decorate the paths.

Wayside Shrine in the Dolomites

Seceda Wayside Shrine
The mountainous jewel of Seceda showcases numerous religious works of art throughout its vast wilderness.

⇒ READ MORE: Treks in the Dolomites – The Ultimate Guide to Hiking Seceda

Even if your feet never leave the cobblestone streets of the many villages and hamlets sprinkled throughout the region, wayside shrines can often be found next to age-old churches and quaint gardens of local residents. Many homeowners also adorn the exterior of their homes with a wayside shrine near an entrance.

The wide array of wayside shrines in South Tyrol create fantastic moments to capture with your camera. South Tyrol’s mountains express many moods giving photography enthusiasts the ultimate canvas to work on. We particularly enjoy coming across shrines early in the morning when clouds are beginning to lift off the timbered slopes.

Madonna shrine in South Tyrol

Virgin Mary Shrine
Rosaries, photographs and candles adorn many of the wayside shrines you’ll encounter on your hikes.

Wayside shrine in Merano, Italy

Wooden Crucifix in South Tyrol

Bringing the Wayside Tradition to Your Home

You don’t have to be religious or spiritual to find South Tyrol’s wayside shrines enchanting. When you unexpectedly encounter one set among vines in a steep vineyard or deep within an Alpine forest, taking a moment to admire its beauty and the soulful devotion of the locals who safeguard the shrine is a reward unto itself.

For those that want to bring the peaceful sight of a wayside shrine into their home, many woodcarving shops located throughout the villages of Ortisei, Selva di Val Gardena and S. Christina in Val Gardena offer wayside shrines for sale.

Carving a Wood Madonna
A DEUR Sculptures’ master woodcarver chiseling a shrine piece from chestnut.

These charming shops will give you plenty of garden shrine ideas as well as ones ready to be hung on a wall within your home. Thankfully, fitting one in your suitcase is not an issue. Most shops will package and ship them abroad.

DEUR Sculptures Shop in St. Christina
The charming DEUR Sculptures shop in St. Christina.

Beyond shrines, the shops also sell countless other carvings from quaint figurines to life-size statues that grace some of the world’s most celebrated cathedrals. The artwork on display rivals that of a museum. Well worth a visit even if you do not intend to bring home a wayside shrine.

⇒ READ MORE: Artisans of the Forest – Deep in the Valley of Woodcarvers

If you came across this article without knowing much about South Tyrol, take the time to discover what we consider Italy’s best-kept secret. Whether encountering a wayside shrine along a mountain trail or savoring authentic Alpine wine and cuisine from a local farm, the traditions of South Tyrol inspire a deep affection for the land and its people. A trip to this hidden gem in northern Italy stays with you for life.

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Comments

  4. These are beautiful!

    Raised Catholic, I have a special love for the symbolism and beauty of it all. You’re right–there isn’t as much religious adornment these days. I have this feeling that we’ll see more of it as we’ve been getting more religious variety. Hopefully the religious iconography of the different religions will empower Christians! Interesting how we’ve moved from hyper religiosity to neutral to now seeing more religions represented.

    Reply

  5. I’ve never heard of this place before but it looks beautiful. I love discovering new locations and trying new adventures. Will have to add it to my long list!

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    • Thanks so much! So many people haven’t heard of it. I hope you have an opportunity to visit someday

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  20. These are incredible art works. Even if you´re not religious there is no way to deny the artful look of these cruxifixes. And hey the countryside is at least as beautiful. Thanks for showing us these pieces of art.

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  21. I love finding articles like this – a place I’ve never heard about but has so much history and meaning. I’m saving this for future reference. Thank you!

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  25. Beautifully written, very informative and incredible photographs. Thanks for sharing, I had never even heard of this region. Definitely makes me want to visit!

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  26. I love seeing this region through your eyes. I live very close to here, in the German Alps, and we also have a lot of little shrines and altars. I used to say I know how much of my hike is left by how many stations of the cross I’ve gone. Lovely photos and imagery. Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Woah, never heard of these but they are beautiful and definitely moving shrines. I would definitely like to see these. Thanks for sharing such a unique place!

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  30. I tend to be always be more interested in religion and spirituality when I travel to countries that are very different from my own for some reason, but your article showed me once more that there is so much to experience with refers to this in Europe too. It’s been said many times before but I have to point it out once more, your photography is outstanding in this article. Great work!

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  32. So hauntingly beautiful. Though I’ve stumbled across shrines in many different countries, I had no idea these existed. Thank you for sharing the background & beauty of these unique pieces of history. Gorgeous photography too!

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  33. I second the hauntingly beautiful comment. Shrines in the middle of nature always have a more impressive feel, thank you for letting me know about this place!

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  34. Thank you for writing such an informative post about South Tyrol’s wayside shrines! It was really fascinating to read about, and they look absolutely stunning. I would love to see them in person.

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  35. Thank you so much fpr sharing a part of Italy that is totally unknow to me. I also love the tour through religion because it is largely neglected in society today. Love remebering the history and importance of religion in centuries gone by and such magnificent statues.

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  36. The pictures are so atmospheric. I especially love the first one. An interesting read as I’d never heard of this custom before. Thanks for sharing.

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  37. I love this. I love the way you started out your post. I’m from a small state called Goa in India. The Portuguese left us a legacy one that lives on today. A number of small crosses exist on different parts of the state.

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  39. These shrines are so beautiful and haunting! I feel like it’s probably a very emotional place to explore, the symbols are just so powerful.

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  41. Wow! So much history! I live near Rome but I must admit I know so little about Roman history… time for me to hit the books! This was a great start! xx

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  42. Wow what an amazing place! Scenery and religion in one place. I learnt a lot from this post and will definitely look into going here. Looks like a valuable destination.

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  44. While reading your post, I felt I was seeing a visual poem. I have not heard about this beautiful place and custom before. Glad I visited your blog. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful post. From now on, I am your latest follower.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed our post. Thrilled to have you as a follower!

      Reply

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