Innichen: Collegiate Church, Art and Routes along the Drava

Innichen (San Candido) combines a strong religious focus with art collections, a cycling route along the Drava and a pilgrimage trail. This gives you a range of interests to consider when planning your trip: architectural and art history, a longer cycling tour or a section of the “Hoch und Heilig” pilgrimage trail. The location of the Drava’s sources and the regional train stops also provide practical points of reference.

Religious architecture and art collections

The collegiate church in Innichen is a Romanesque religious building dating from the 13th century and is considered one of the most important religious buildings in the Alps. The Chiesa dei Francescani adds a later date to this historical point of reference: it was consecrated in 1697. If you want to place the religious buildings in their historical context, you can compare the 13th-century Romanesque building with the Franciscan church from the late 17th century. The two dates mark different periods in religious architecture.

The Chiesa dei Francescani’s distinctive art collection includes a cloister with 31 paintings depicting the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. Lukas Platzer created the paintings between 1706 and 1709. This makes it easy to distinguish the church’s consecration from the later creation of the painting cycle: 1697 marks the consecration, while the paintings were created just over a decade later.

The MIK Chapter Museum houses religious art, the cathedral treasury, finely crafted textiles and an extensive library. It also contains finds from the early Celtic period and the Roman era. The collection therefore ranges from religious objects and textiles to archaeological finds. Opening arrangements vary by season, so check current visiting hours before planning your visit.

Cycle path and pilgrimage stage

There are two different route options for outdoor activities. The San Candido–Lienz cycle path runs for 44 kilometres along the Drava, is rated easy and follows a route mostly away from main roads. The distance gives you a clear basis for planning your tour; the difficulty rating and route describe other features of the cycle path. Seasonal conditions and recommendations on suitable months may change. Check both before your cycling tour.

The fifth stage of the “Hoch und Heilig” pilgrimage trail starts at the collegiate church in Innichen. This provides a specific starting point for the stage. Unlike the cycle path, for which the distance and difficulty rating are specified, the practical point of reference here is primarily the start at the collegiate church. You can choose between a described cycling tour and a section of the pilgrimage trail according to your interests.

The Drava is also relevant for geographical orientation: its sources lie in meadows three kilometres west of Innichen, in the direction of Toblach. This location adds a separate point of reference in the surrounding area to the cycle path’s route along the Drava.

Getting there by regional train

The Pustertal regional train towards San Candido/Lienz stops in Villabassa, Dobbiaco, San Candido and Versciaco/Monte Elmo. These stops provide practical points of reference when planning your train journey. Timetables can change, so check your connection before departure.

Discover more destinations: Bolzano, Verschneid, Barbiano, Rein in Taufers, Unterinn, Trafoi, Riscone, Antermoia.

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