This oldest Churches Ruined from 766 has already existed even before Columbus discovered America. This is the Basilika Rankweil in Vorarlberg Austria.
Basilika Rankweil
The Basilika Rankweil Vorarlberg is a Roman Catholic church located in the small town of Rankweil, Austria.
Above image is a screenshot for an overview Rankweil and the neighboring town.
The basilica ranks among the best examples of Baroque architecture in Austria and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Early Christian Monuments of the Alps".
Architecture
The external features: ( The church building is a single-nave basilica with a western tower, choir, and polygonal apse; the interior is dominated by the lavish Baroque decoration and artwork)
The word basilica derives from the Latin b-asil-ik-a which means "royal" and "sacred". The Basilika Rankweil is one of Austria's most famous churches and is located in the center of the town.
According to the reading posted on the entrance of the wall, the very first tower was built in 766.
My husband explains that this Church was already stood still before Columbus discovered America.
The imposing basilica is a perfect example of late baroque architecture with its brightly decorated façade and large size. Inside the basilica, there are various chapels where visitors can pray for loved ones by kneeling at their tomb.
These tombs are made from marble and include both valuable statues as well as paintings depicting the lives of those being remembered.
The building has many doors accessible from around it. I went inside each chapel but did not take any photos in respect of the people who were inside doing their prayers at the time of my visit, January 2, 2022.
There are many glass windows around that enable you to see the view of the town below.
The staircase inside the church is used to access many chapels and other rooms.
I noticed that there are rooms like an office inside the building. To me, it looks like it has been restructured. repair and renovated.
The wooden and the ceiling curves look like from ancient times. (image below).
On the left-hand side of the building, there is a stair that brings you up to the very top. If you look at the roof it is made of timber.
This top deck is also placed with a spotlight for photo taking especially wedding photo sessions.
About the Town of Rankweil in Vorarlberg Austria
Rankweil has a history as long as it's been known. It is hard to determine where the first settlers of Rankweil settled, but it is said that they were from Scotland and came to this area around 900 AD.
987 is the first mention of Rankweil and it was an important trading site. The town was also a place for banquets and weddings for the Counts of Montfort and their relatives.
Rankweil has many other oldest churches and buildings but not as old as the Basilika.
The image above is what you will see when you stand on the top deck of the Church.
At night, it makes a dramatic image. I went to see how it look like during pitch dark and it is pretty interesting what I saw.
Thank you for reading❤️
All images presented are solely my own.
Camera usedL Fujifilm and Iphone XS Max.
Who is Elvie?
Elvie is a professional photographer. Self-taught Digital Artist. Blogger / Vlogger/ Artist/Business Owner
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