Description of the attraction
Viltena Basilica is located not far from the large Wilten Abbey, but it is a separate church that is not part of this monastic complex. It is only 500 meters from Innsbruck West Train Station (Innsbruck Westbahnhof). The church was consecrated in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, its other name is also widespread - the Church of the Virgin Mary under four columns. This is due to the main shrine of the temple - the image of the Mother of God, located in its altar.
The first settlement appeared here during the time of the Romans, it was called Veldiden and gave the name to the entire area. It is believed that even then the first Christians worshiped the miraculous image of the Mother of God, and later in the 5th century the first early Christian sanctuary was erected here, which was confirmed during archaeological excavations.
For some time, Viltena Basilica was considered part of a large Premonstraten Abbey, founded in 1138. Despite the fact that traces of earlier buildings have practically not survived, the Wilten Basilica is one of the oldest parish churches in the city of Innsbruck.
Its modern building was built already in 1751-1756 in an elegant Baroque style. Its external appearance is dominated by the main facade, which stands out, first of all, by two symmetrical towers bordering the portal of the temple. Both are crowned with graceful onion-shaped domes typical of Austria and Bavaria.
The interior design of the church, considered a masterpiece of the Austrian Rococo, is amazing. Especially worth noting is the graceful stucco molding and luxurious frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the temple. They depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. And in the main altar of the cathedral is its main shrine - a golden statuette of the Mother of God with the Child, dating back to the beginning of the 13th century. It is surrounded by four marble columns, which gave the whole church its name.
