Servite Church of St. Joseph

Servite Church of St. Joseph, is a baroque-style church that has witnessed centuries of events and changes. The church, along with its attached Servite Monastery, is located on Maria-Theresien-Straße, one of the main streets in the city center.

The Origins and Development of the Monastery

The Servite Order, also known as the Order of the Servants of Mary, is a Catholic religious order founded in the 13th century in Florence, Italy. The order is dedicated to the devotion of the Virgin Mary and the service of the poor and the sick. The order spread throughout Europe and established many monasteries and churches.

The Servite Monastery in Innsbruck was established sometime between 1613 and 1616, thanks to the generous donation of Anna Caterina Gonzaga von Mantua, the widow of Archduke Ferdinand II, who was the ruler of Tyrol and the founder of the Ambras Castle. Anna Caterina was a devout Servite and wanted to honor the memory of her husband by supporting the order.

The monastery thrived in the 17th century, receiving the patronage and protection of the Habsburgs, the ruling dynasty of Austria and Tyrol. The monastery also served as a center of education and culture, hosting many prominent scholars and artists.

However, the monastery also faced many challenges and disasters. In 1620, a devastating fire destroyed the initial building of the monastery as well as the church, resulting in the loss of everything. The fire was caused by a lightning strike during a storm. The Servites had to rebuild their monastery and church from scratch, with the help of the local community and the authorities.

The Construction and Decoration of the Church

The church was consecrated in 1626, six years after the fire. The church was designed by Christoph Gumpp, a famous architect from Innsbruck, who also worked on the Golden Roof and the Hofburg Palace. The church is a simple, elongated building that runs parallel to the street. It features a recessed choir, a baroque south tower, and a chapel bay window that juts out.

The interior of the church is decorated with stucco, paintings, and sculptures that reflect the baroque style and the Servite devotion. The high altar, which was commissioned in 1628 by Archduke Leopold V, the son of Ferdinand II and Anna Caterina, was created by Matthias Carneri, a sculptor and plasterer from Trentino. The altar depicts the Assumption of Mary, surrounded by angels and saints. The altar also contains the relics of St. Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer patients, who was a Servite himself.

The side chapel, dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary, was enlarged in 1722, and the Peregrini chapel, dedicated to St. Peregrine, was affected by subsequent enlargements in 1731. The side chapel contains a painting of the Seven Sorrows of Mary by Johann Georg Dominikus Grasmair, a painter from Innsbruck. The Peregrini chapel contains a painting of St. Peregrine by Johann Georg Schmidt, another painter from Innsbruck.

The tower of the church was completed in 1899 by Johann Wunibald Deininger, an architect from Munich. The tower has a height of 52 meters and a clock that chimes every quarter hour. The tower also has a bell that rings every day at noon and at 6 pm, as a reminder of the Angelus prayer.

The Turmoil and Restoration of the Monastery

The monastery in Innsbruck was abolished by the National Socialist regime on November 3, 1938, making it the first monastery to be abolished in Austria. The Servites were expelled from their monastery and their property was confiscated. The monastery was then used as a military hospital and a storage facility.

On December 15, 1943, the monastery and the church suffered extensive damage during an air raid by the Allies. The roof, the windows, and the organ were destroyed, and many artworks were damaged or lost. The monastery was also looted by the Nazis and the Soviets.

After the end of World War II, the Servites returned to their monastery and began the reconstruction process. They restored the order and the function of the monastery, as well as the beauty and the dignity of the church. Since 1947, the newly established parish of St. Joseph has been under the care of the Servites. The renovations of the monastery and the church occurred in 1968 and 1990, respectively.

Innsbruck, Austria