GOD’S ARCHITECT

The churches in the Stubai Valley have one thing in common. They all bear the signature of Franz de Paula Penz. Born in 1707, Penz played a major role in shaping late Baroque church architecture in Tyrol. He was a star architect of his time. From 1736 until his death in 1772, Franz de Paula Penz was active in Telfes, first as a chaplain and from 1753 as a parish priest. He is buried in the parish church in Telfes.

The farmer’s son from Navis, a side valley of the Wipp Valley, planned and built fourteen churches, mainly in the Middle Inn Valley and the Wipp Valley. In the Stubai Valley, he built the churches in Fulpmes, Medraz, Telfes and Schönberg. His last building, the late Baroque parish church in Neustift, is Tyrol’s second largest village church and already features early Classicist forms. He did not live to see its completion. The Gothic church of Mieders was adapted to Baroque style by him. Franz de Paula Penz’ main work is the Wilten Basilica in Innsbruck. For many, it is also the most beautiful Rococo church in Tyrol.

Die Pfarrkirche „zu Maria Geburt“ in Mieders, die älteste Kirche im Stubaital, ist im gotischen Stil errichtet und wurde von Franz de Paula Penz im Inneren barockisiert.Bei der Innenrestaurierung entdeckte man Mauerreste einer frühchristlichen Kirche aus dem frühen 8. Jahrhundert.

The “zu Maria Geburt” parish church in Mieders, the oldest church in the Stubai Valley, is built in Gothic style and was adapted to Baroque style inside by Franz de Paula Penz. The wall remains of an early Christian church from the early 8th century were discovered during the interior restoration work.

Franz de Paula Penz grew up in simple circumstances, studied theology in Brixen and was ordained as a priest in 1730. Even at that time, he drew plans for church buildings as a self-taught architect. His talent did not go unnoticed at the then bishop’s seat in Brixen and so Penz was appointed ecclesiastical building director in 1735. He always kept to the congregations’ financial means when planning and designing the individual church buildings. For this purpose, he sent a mobile construction team to the construction sites, which was supported by volunteers from the respective communities.