St. Catherine Church in Villa di Mezzo

Villa di Mezzo, located at 477 m a.s.l. at the slope above Caldaro village, is the largest district of the municipality and has also its own church. A Romanesque construction, which has disappeared today, once rose in this place - only some wall remains and the frescoes in the inside of the current church have been preserved. Everything else dates back to the following centuries.

The current church with its slender spire, which can be seen from afar, was built between 1517 and 1520, the vault was realised by masons from the area of Lake Como. The sacred building was consecrated to Catherine of Alexandria, or Holy Catherine the Great Martyr, one of the four Saint Virgins. At the left side altar there are precious wall paintings of the Bolzano School from 1414. The fresco in the choir, however, shows the Death of the Virgin (1400), whereas the right side altar is flanked by beautiful late Gothic statues of saints. In 1912 the St. Catherine Church - "Kirche St. Katharina" in German, "Chiesa di Santa Caterina" in Italian - was decorated in neo-Gothic style.

In Villa di Mezzo there are also some other historic buildings, such as Castel Sallegg, built in the 16th century as seat of the Lords of Sall, or Castel Campan from the 13th century. And how to reach the St. Catherine Church? It rises in Villa di Mezzo (Mitterdorf), more precisely in Unterwinkel. Parking places as well as bus stops are available.