Austria

August 7 to 29, 2010

gampenkogel and shelbyville

Harlasanger

Last year when we went up the Gaisberg we happened to go on the same day that the yearly open air mass was held at the Harlasanger chapel. I had asked my grandmother about it and she told me a story involving years of pestilance and how the chapel was built as an offering to try and bring about better times. Better times did return and in memory and thanks, the townspeople hold a mass there every year.

So this year we decided to go and check out the chapel itself. You can tell it is steeped in history and tradition although the story as my grandmother told me was not depicted as such (I'll have to get her to retell it to me so that I get the facts straight). There was however a painting depicting a very historic visit and if I've managed to get the gist of the plaque (my ability to read Old German is a little limited) the story of that event goes something like this:

On July 2, 1840 the Archbishop Friedrich von Salzburg came to visit Aschau and made the trek up to Harlassanger. There were many priests, musicians and people from all over who came to celebrate. The archbishop in his red habit gave a speech before the chapel and held a mass inside. The procession continued to Fleiding and down to Brixen, stopping along the way at several alpine huts for food and drink. Every year there is a celebration to comemmorate the historic event.

Rubby heading up to the Harlasanger chapel.