ARTISTIC-RELIGIOUS STATEMENT
Chapel of the present at the Venet
If your heart wanders or suffers
Slowly bring it back to its place
And gently bring it into the presence of the Lord.
And even if you have done nothing in life,
except to bring your heart back
into the presence of God,
even though it ran away every time
after you brought it back,
then you have fulfilled your life.
FRANZ VON SALES
A quotation from the text of St. Francis de Sales, which was made visible on a concrete spot in the entrance area of the chapel and names the spiritual purpose of the chapel of the present.
What does the chapel of the tell me and what does it invite me to do?
The chapel was designed by Pastor Herbert Traxl and is understood as an artistic sculpture in the alpine landscape. It invites you to perceive the ensemble as a whole – from all sides. This makes it clear that the chapel adopts the formal language of the high mountains: Unconsciously, images of imposing granite and slate blocks come to mind, which have been piled up over millions of years and are familiar to every mountain hiker. At the same time, the different block layers symbolically represent the multi-layered nature of our modern life.
The two-part stained glass window is inspired by the "Benedictus" of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. In his song of praise, he announces the birth of Christ: "...the dawning light from on high to shine on those who sit in darkness and to guide our steps on the path of peace" (Lk 1, 78–79).
The message of the windows expresses the conviction that divine light can break into the darkness of human life at any time – even today.
Origin of the chapel of the present
In the beginning, there was a vision
During a chance encounter with Karl Lenhart of Lenhart Carpentry, Reverend Herbert Traxl spoke about his vision of one day building a chapel designed by himself. Lenhart reacted with spontaneous interest in making this happen and suggested the Venet as the location. Here, the chapel would be accessible to many people and also lie on the route of the extremely popular E5 hiking trail from Pointe du Raz to Avesa (Verona).
From many drafts to a model
Many sketches of different architectural designs were created. Finally, Pastor Traxl created a model of his idea. The chapel is intended to be a sculptural feature within the alpine landscape. Its shape deliberately picks up and emphasises the geological folds and rock layers of the surroundings.
Is this even feasible – and if so, who makes it possible?
An expert team conducted a preliminary review of the chapel model to examine the technical feasibility of its implementation. The experts focused on the innovative shotcrete technology that had not yet been used in similar construction projects.
Dipl.-Ing. Florian Mathies then created true-to-scale construction plans based on the model. The five-metre-high glass windows, designed by Pastor Herbert Traxl, could be printed onto laminated glass using ceramic technology.
At the "Wirtschaftstreff der Zammer Unternehmen" in April 2016, many business owners expressed their willingness to fund the extraordinary project themselves, deliberately choosing to forgo financial assistance from public funds.
The decisive steps of realization
On July 17, 2016, the starting shot was fired: The ground was broken and the base plate was concreted. Next, the wooden formwork was created to form the foundation for the artistic shape.
The first major construction phase took place on July 19 and 20, 2016: The entire structure was shaped using an innovative method called shotcrete technology, which gave the chapel its sculptural form. It then had its stainless steel cross installed.
A critical moment came on 27 July with the installation of the two-part glass windows, which weigh 380 kg. This was successfully achieved despite difficult weather conditions.
The finishing touches included the Corten steel entrance area, interior and exterior lighting, and laying the floor. This transformed the chapel at Venet into the impressive structure that captivates visitors from near and far today.
The official opening
The official opening of the chapel took place on 25 September 2016 as part of a mountain mass. The Zams music band provided the festive musical accompaniment to the service. More than 300 co-celebrants from near and far took part.
Wherever you come from and whoever you are,
the Chapel of the present at Venet warmly welcomes you at any time of the year!
Pastor Herbert Traxl with the entire team of Venet Bergbahnen AG