Snow Church
| Our rating |
Beautiful church in one of the most prestigious Italian ski resorts. |
| Cost |
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| Location |
In the town centre. The Austrian border is only 30 minutes away. 162 km from Venice, 156 km from Innsbruck. |
| Setting |
The main piazza of Cortina and the streets of the town with exclusive boutiques, alpine style hotels and restaurants. |
| Exterior |
The present Church was built between 1769 and 1775. The elegant façade reflects the Tyrolean style of the seventeen hundreds and is adorned by two niches with the statues of the saints Philip and James.The building of the existent bell tower started in 1851 and finished in 1858. |
| Interior |
One nave only. Two big windows give light to the interior enriched by lateral niches. |
| Accompaniment |
The church has a prestigious organ inaugurated in 1954 and built by a well known firm in Linz, Austria. |
| Ceremonies |
Catholic with civil validity. |
| Capacity |
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| Availability |
All year long. A special place for a Catholic winter destination wedding. |
Unique Characteristics of this Snow Church
Built according to the project of the architect Promperg-Costa during the second half of the eighteenth century to replace the previous sixteenth century building that had become too small, the Snow Church is located in the very heart of Cortina's town centre, now open to pedestrians only. In the same location was built a church in the Middle Ages, that was rebuilt in the thirteenth century and then replaced by a new one in the sixteenth century.
Frescoes and paintings by Luigi and Giuseppe Ghedina, Franz Anton Zeiler, Luigi Gillarduzzi and Giuseppe Zanchi, with on of the altars on the left by the sculptor Andrea Brustolon, enriche the structure. The main altar was realised by Johann Mussack in the late seventeen hundreds.
The seventy-six meters high bell tower, the symbol of Cortina, is a very well known landmark and it can be admired from the streets, the hotels terraces and from any point in the Valle d'Ampezzo.
Constructed of dolomite stone to substitute the previous one in danger of falling down, the building of the steeple was a major undertaking that was completed after several attempts. The pinnacle is surmounted with a globe covered with gold leaf and one meter in diameter. The carillon of its clock has the same sound of London's Big Ben.The project was very expensive and it took seven years to carry it to completion. A book has been written about it!
Many religious music concerts take place in this church. On Sundays at the 10:00 AM service and other special occasions the Schola Cantorum, a polyphonic choir of about forty singers specialized in holy music, started in 1882 and one of the best choirs in Italy, performs in the Snow Church.
A very special church for a destination wedding in Italy on the snow!
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