St. Roch Church in Pozzo

It is presumed that back then the Black Death caused havoc in the Oltradige, so the inhabitants of the small village of Pozzo, nowadays a district of Caldaro, decided to build a votive chapel or as thanks for the already survived epidemic. Fact is that the bubonic plague raged in Bolzano and surroundings already in 1501 AD. The little church was erected at the beginning of the 16th century and dedicated to St. Roch who is specially invoked against the plague and other epidemics. Rocco from Montpellier, however, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and venerated as a saint, has never been declared a saint officially. Usually he is depicted with a wound on his thigh.

Such as the nearby St. Anthony Church, also the St. Roch Church - "Kirche St. Rochus" in German, "Chiesa di San Rocco" in Italian - shows a big fresco of St. Christopher on its façade, realised in 1519. Also the wall paintings inside date back to the construction period of the sacred building, among them there's the oldest textured depiction of the coat of arms of Caldaro, a copper kettle.

Excavation finds during the last renovation of the church in 1981 indicate an ancient water sanctuary or holy well beneath the present vestry. And how to reach the St. Roch Church? It rises in Pozzo (Pfuss) near Caldaro, parking possibilities and a bus stop can be found nearby. Above the small village, the Caldaro High Route passes by, a circular trail leading in about 4 hours from San Antonio to Castelvecchio and back again.