Granatkapelle Chapel at Penkenjoch

Granatkapelle chapel is located in the midst of the magnificent Zillertal mountain world on the sunny plateau of Penkenjoch. Uniquely, it combines the nature of garnet stones, which were previously mined in the Stillupptal, with local woods. The chapel is dedicated to Engelbert Kolland, a blessed figure hailing from the Zillertal.

The Granatkapelle chapel or "Capella Granata," as it is also called, was planned by Mario Botta. The architect from the Swiss canton of Ticino is particularly known for his strict geometric and simple form language. The interior is adorned with a mosaic portrait of the Blessed, made from five native woods by the sculptor Markus Thurner. Opposite the portrait is the icon image of the Mother of God of Kazan.

The chapel is a place of silence, introspection, devotion, and gratitude for all people, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Franciscan Father Engelbert Kolland was born on September 21, 1827, in Ramsau in the Zillertal. After joining the Franciscan Order in Salzburg, he was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Trent. Another significant stage in his life was his assignment as a missionary to Jerusalem. Transferred from there to Damascus, he served as a pastor in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. On July 10, 1860, after repeatedly refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ, he suffered martyrdom. The beatification took place in 1926 by Pope Pius XI. As the second parish patron in Zell am Ziller, the subsidiary church in Ramsau, the parish church Ramsau, the soldier's church of the Belgian barracks in Graz, the Franciscan church in Salzburg and now also the Granatkapelle at Penkenjoch are dedicated to him.

The chapel gets its name from the semi-precious stone garnet, which - cut in the shape of a rhombic dodecahedron - is traditionally worn as jewelry with traditional costume in Zillertal. The design places the chapel on a rock outcrop that looks northwards onto the valley below. The south side of the chapel, on the other hand, faces the water surface of an artificially created mountain pond, which is used as a water reservoir for artificial snow in winter.

The building in the shape of a rhombic dodecahedron stands on a concrete base. The supporting structure is made of wooden walls, which are clad outside with Corten steel plates. The entrance to the chapel is located in the base floor, from here a staircase along the wall leads up into the prayer room. With a single glance, the clear and precise geometry of the interior can thus be perceived. Through the zenithal opening in the ceiling, light from above streams into the interior and enlivens the regular surfaces of the rhombs, which are laid with fine larch wood strips. The magic of this room lies in the continuity and the perfect geometric shape of the walls, which are identical, yet due to the varying incidence of light take on a different surface design.