The old parish church of Gries (in German Alte Pfarrkirche Gries), dedicated to the Virgin, is a Gothic church in the historic district of Gries, in Bolzano, a short distance from the square of the same name; it was the village's parish church until 1788.
What to see
The church rises slightly on the slopes of a hill, so that the bell tower can be seen from afar in the countryside, and it is surrounded by the old cemetery of Gries (Alter Grieser Friedhof), which holds numerous tombs of notable people, among them that of Herbert Rosendorfer. Among the treasures kept, the most important is the carved wooden altarpiece by the celebrated Pustertal sculptor Michael Pacher, made between 1471 and 1475; in the Baroque era it was considered out of date and replaced by a Baroque altar, and it was placed in the chapel of Saint Erasmus, where it remains today without its wings, predella and crowning. In the centre is shown the Coronation of the Virgin by the Trinity, with angels holding a brocade drapery in the background, giving an illusion of depth; two reliefs from the wings, with the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi, are displayed separately. Inside there is also a fine Romanesque crucifix of the early 13th century, around 1200.
The church is documented since 1141, was built in the Romanesque style and later renewed in the Gothic; some interior parts keep Romanesque features. The Gothic polygonal choir dates from 1414. The ground on which it stands is the oldest core of Gries, which in the past was called Kellare or Keller («cellar»), because the wine cellar of the chapter of Freising Cathedral, owner of a manorial estate, stood there. In 2008 important accounts of the church were discovered, unique of their kind for the Tyrolean and Trentino area, covering the years from 1422 to 1440. In 1788 the church lost its function as parish church, which passed to the abbey of Muri-Gries.
Visiting
The church is at Gries, not far from the square of the same name; opening hours and access to the interior should be checked, because the sources consulted do not give them.
Our editors' tip
Look in the chapel of Saint Erasmus for Michael Pacher's altarpiece and see how the angels hold the brocade drapery: it is the detail with which the sculptor creates the illusion of depth behind the Coronation of the Virgin.
