Attraction St. Oswald Parish Church

Church in Seefeld, pedestrian area.

Description

The parish church in Seefeld defines our pedestrian zone like no other building. Since its first documented mention over 700 years ago (1320), the late Gothic stepped church has been a central point in the history of the plateau.

Dedicated to Saint Oswald, it was long one of the most famous pilgrimage churches in existence. The reason for this was the so-called “Miracle of the Host” from 1384. According to legend, Oswald Milser from the border fortress Schlossberg requested a larger host (blessed wafer) at the Holy Mass than the other churchgoers.

Willingly handed over by the priest, the host turned blood-red, and the stone on which he knelt, as well as the heavy altar stone, sank abruptly into the ground. The imprint of the hand, which desperately tried to hold on to the stone slab of the altar, is still clearly visible today.
This miracle attracted large streams of pilgrims. The Tyrolean princes were also greatly impressed. As the small church was no longer sufficient, Friedrich with an empty purse in 1432 began the construction of the current Gothic church, which dragged on for a long time and was continued by Friedrich's son, Sigismund the Mint Master. The church was not completed until 1474.

Through several donations, Sigismund the Mint Master showed his favor to the church of Seefeld. Emperor MaximilianI. also took a great interest in the Seefeld pilgrimage and decided to build a monastery when the church was slowly falling into decay. The settlement of monks was intended to revitalize and promote the pilgrimage site. In 1516, construction began according to the plans of the court painter Jörg Kölderer, who also created the panel painting with the Miracle of the Host on behalf of the emperor around 1502.

Archduke Ferdinand II went on foot in 1583 with a retinue of two thousand people to the pilgrimage church, and three years later, he gifted St. Oswald the possession of the Bergfels Castle. In 1604, the monastery could be completed under Archduke Maximilian the Deutschmeister, who was then still the governor of Tyrol and became the princely leader in 1612.

Emperor Joseph II dissolved the monastery in 1785 and seized the church's rich treasure. The parish care of Seefeld was transferred to the Stams Abbey. When Tyrol stood under Bavarian rule in 1808, the monastery was eventually sold privately to the Seyrling family. Today, the former monastery houses the 5* Hotel Klosterbräu. Notably, the Hotel Klosterbräu still shares a wall with the Parish Church of St. Oswald.

Services & Prayer Hours:
Monday 18:00 Rosary
Thursday 17:30 Rosary
Saturday 18:00 Vigil Mass
Sunday 10:15 Holy Mass