Chiesa e convento delle Orsoline

At Brunico's lower old-town edge, the Gothic church once associated with the extra-mural cemetery later became the church of the Ursuline convent. Frescoes from around 1420 and a crypt dating to about 1410 preserve its early history.

Why it matters

The church began in 1410, when the bishop of Brixen allowed Brunico's citizens to build a chapel at the lower end of the Graben. By 1427 it had become the Neukirche. Its tower, probably added in the later fifteenth century, was integrated into the town wall and included a defensive walkway and a fire watch.

What to notice

Frescoes attributed to Johannes von Bruneck and dated around 1420 place the church among Brunico's early painted interiors. The crypt, dating to about 1410, is the oldest part of the convent complex. The church and convent's later connection with the Ursuline community added an educational role to the site's religious history.

Context and history

The chapel, expanded in 1427, stood outside the upper core of the old town. Its watchtower linked the religious building to Brunico's defences. When the Ursulines arrived, the church became their convent church and the complex developed an educational tradition.