Chiesa parrocchiale di Sant'Ulrico

The parish church of St. Ulrich stands among the terraced houses of Stelvio village in South Tyrol. Its five bells, including one cast by the Perner foundry, mark the church’s place at the centre of this mountain settlement.

Why it matters

St. Ulrich is the parish church of Stelvio, the main village in the municipality of Stilfs. The houses cluster around the church on a steep slope, reflecting the settlement’s distinctive terraced layout. The church remains part of the village’s religious and communal life.

What to notice

The church stands near one of Stelvio’s historic fountains, which once served as a shared water source for residents and livestock. Its tower carries five bells; one was cast by the Perner foundry. The surrounding village rises in terraces across the sunny slope, framed by the mountains of the Ortler range.

Context and history

Stelvio developed as a miners’ settlement from the fifteenth century, associated with iron ore deposits on the Ortler massif. The municipal register lists St. Ulrich as the parish church of the main village, distinct from the parishes in Sulden and Trafoi. The church belongs to the Ortlergebiet pastoral unit of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone.