St. Kathrein church

The famous little church in St. Kathrein/S. Caterina is situated on a rise in Hafling/Avelengo and can be seen from far away in Meran and Environs.


Coming from both directions of the freeway Meran - Bozen (MEBO), take the exit of Meran Süd/Merano Sud and follow directions towards Meran first, to then turn right towards Hafling/Avelengo. Shortly before Hafling Dorf/Avelengo Paese turn left towards S. Kathrein/S. Caterina.


With the bus until the bus stop "Tankstelle Hafling", follow the way no. 2 until St. Kathrein (15 min.):

- Bus no. 225 "Meran - Hafling - Falzeben/Vöran"

- Bus no. 156 "Hafling - Vöran - Mölten - Jenesien"

You'll find the time table on the site: www.sii.bz.it/en.


Church tours take place from June to October (only in german or italian language), during the historical tour you will learn all kinds of interesting facts about the building and the special features of the Romanesque church.


Little parking area in St. Kathrein


The romanesque church called St. Kathrein has a gothic apse and dates from the thirteenth century. It has well-preserved frescoes from the fourteenth century and a winged altar in the late-Gothic Tyrolean style (which can only be see through an opening in the portal).

The story

Like many other churches in the region, the St. Kathrein church in Hafling/Avelengo was built on a site that was originally a pagan place of worship. Presumably there was already a small church standing here in the twelfth century, which was destroyed by fire in 1202. The only parts of the church that survived from the period before the church fire are the regularly stratified walls of the flat-roofed nave.

Fifty years later, a Romanesque church had already come into being, which was newly consecrated in 1251. In the late Gothic period, the church was rebuilt again. Two hundred years later, in 1452, it was once again rebuilt and rededicated.

The late-Gothic winged altar is a valuable decorative element of the church. The central part of the altar cabinet contains three wooden figures: the patron saint, St. Catherine, flanked by John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene.

The Legend

According to legend, the local people wanted to build a Christian church on this site. They charged two giants to procure stones. The giants, however, had promised to build at church in Lafenn at the exact same time. Having only one hammer between them, the two giants had to share. Eventually, a conflict arose between the pair over the hammer, so the Lafenn giant picked up an enormous boulder and threw it at the St. Catherine giant. The boulder missed its target, but can still be seen in the meadow near Sulfner, just below the church.