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On the Magdalena hill, in the centre of Ridnauntal, is the church of S. Magdalena, constructed by the Schneeberg miners in this extraordinarily beautiful place between 1480 and 1482. There was a foundry at the foot of the hill in those times. The church is a jewel of Late Gothic architecture, and its most exceptional decoration is the main altar, with side-pieces, carved by the maestro Matheis Stöberl of Sterzing. On the right side of the altar are the words: ‘Das werch hat gmacht maist’Matheis stöberl 1509’ (‘This work was carried out by Matheis Stöberl in 1509’).
When the side-pieces of the altar triptych are opened, you can see that the central panel is painted with the patron saint of the church, St. Magdalena, clothed in a mantle of golden fur and, at her feet, a gallery with two miners: one is pushing a trolley and one working the ore with pick and hammer.
The church was fully restored in 1982, on occasion of the 500th anniversary of its building. For security reasons it is now closed, after thieves broke in, but it is opened several times a year for special masses to be celebrated. For information on guided tours, please ask at the Ridnaun Museum of Mines.
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history
history of mining on Schneeberg
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