Chiesa di Santa Caterina

In the hamlet of Santa Caterina beneath the Sciliar, Saint Catherine Church combines a Romanesque nave with a Gothic enlargement and a notable cycle of late-medieval wall paintings. First recorded in 1293, it is among the oldest documented churches in the area.

Why it matters

The church preserves evidence of the hamlet’s long history on the lower slopes between the Tires valley and the Alpe di Siusi. Its Romanesque core survives within a fifteenth-century enlargement, while the painted south wall makes the building an important example of religious art in the Dolomites. The church was originally dedicated to Saint Michael, a connection associated with the nearby Michaeler farm, before its dedication changed to Catherine of Alexandria.

What to notice

The south wall’s frescoes are arranged in two rows of six panels. They depict episodes from Catherine’s legend, including her trial before Emperor Maximinus and her martyrdom, as well as the construction of the monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai under Emperor Justinian. The inscription dates that monastery scene to 557. The contrast between the low Romanesque nave and the taller Gothic choir and steeple reflects the church’s later enlargement; inside, the nave has a stellar vault.

Context and history

The first written mention of the church dates to 1293. In the fifteenth century, the building was enlarged with a Gothic choir and steeple, and the nave received its stellar vault. The fresco programme belongs to this period, though the painter and workshop have not been identified. The church’s changing dedication—from Saint Michael to Catherine of Alexandria—connects the local religious history with the saint whose life is represented on its exterior wall.