Kapelle Sogn Bistgaun, Lumbrein/Silgin

The chapel is open daily.

The small chapel in the hamlet of Silgin, which stands alone, immediately catches the eye: a colourful façade painting that reaches up to the protruding protective roof invites you to take a closer look. In the 18th century, an unknown artist conjured up a veritable "heaven of saints" on the west wall: in the gable (picture 2) a Mother of God and Child, below which you can see Saints Lawrence, Placidus and Nicholas on a bank of clouds. On the right are St. Florinus and St. Aloysius*. Also clearly recognizable are St. Sebastian at the martyr's tree, St. Maurice on horseback and St. Martin sharing his cloak.

Inside, the flat ceiling in the almost square nave was given a large medallion (3) with the Trinity and the plague saints in the late 18th century. In the four corners, in the midst of cherubs and clouds, you can see the Bohemian bridge saint John of Nepomuk, Carlo Borromeo, Anna Selbdritt and Mary Magdalene. The chancel arch (4), between Dominic and Catherine of Siena, is decorated with medallions with the mysteries of the Rosary. The eye-catcher in the choir is a rococo altar (5), above which are the four apostles with their attributes in the cross vault.

*Aloisius of Gonzaga (1568-1591), born near Mantua, was already very religious as a child, joined the newly founded Jesuit order and died at the age of 23 as a result of his work as a nurse for plague patients in Rome. He was canonized in 1726.

Text and photos: Walter Müller (wmueller@hispieed.ch) in cooperation with Surselva Tourismus