Franciscan Monastery

The Franciscan Monastery in the Austrian town of Telfs is located among fascinating mountains, forests, flower valleys and hills.

A vast religious complex includes a residential block of monks, a temple, a cemetery and a war memorial. Even though all the constructions were built at different times and in different styles, you do not see any disharmony in the appearance of the monastery. All of them are united by the common spirit. The buildings match the natural landscape flawlessly.

The Franciscan Monastery was founded near the town at the beginning of the XVIII century. The idea of building the temple belonged to a priest Franz Oberperger. He was the person who collected money from the local nobility and wealthy residents. Just within three years, with the support of locals from the neighboring settlements, the church and the temple welcomed their first visitors. During two hundred years, monks conducted pastoral work in those lands. However, during the reign of the emperor Joseph II, a decree was issued to shut down all the local monasteries. Practically all the priests abandoned these places; only six monks were left. For several years, the temple was forgotten.

In 1824, the monastery got a new lease of life, at the time when another building was constructed. It was decorated with frescoes reflecting the life of St. Francis. Their style is unusual.

White brick walls, bright red-tiled roofs and small windows attract the attention by their simplicity and grace. In the yard, there is a small garden. Greenwood and fruit orchards make shadows on a hot summer day, creating lacy patterns on the grass.