Stadtmuseum Klausen
Museum in the former Capuchin convent in Chiusa, with the Loreto Treasury, a gift from the Spanish court, and the memory of the artists’ colony.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Civic Museum of Chiusa was founded in 1914 as a museum of local history. During the Fascist period its artworks had to be handed over to the civic museum of Bolzano, and they returned to Chiusa only in 1978. Since 1992 the museum has been housed in the former Capuchin convent, built between 1699 and 1701 thanks to a donation from Queen Maria Anna of Spain (1667–1740).
The queen had the convent built at the request of her confessor, the Capuchin Gabriel Pontifeser, born in Chiusa in 1653, who had come to the Spanish court after the marriage to King Charles II in 1690. At the foundation the sovereign made valuable gifts, followed by other members of the court. This gave rise to the Loreto Treasury (Tesoro di Loreto), the most important core of the museum, which fills the entire first floor: liturgical vestments, devotional objects, paintings and other works, mostly from Spanish and Italian workshops of the 16th and 17th centuries. Among the best-known pieces is the field altar of King Charles II.
A second collection focus is the artists’ colony of Chiusa, active between 1874 and 1914. After the discovery in 1867 of the supposed birthplace of Walther von der Vogelweide, the small town attracted writers, scholars and almost three hundred painters and sculptors; among the leading figures was Alexander Koester, who lived in Chiusa from 1896 to 1915. The visit also includes the Capuchin church, and the museum gallery hosts a few temporary exhibitions each year.
Highlights
- Loreto Treasury, a gift from the Spanish court, on the first floor
- Field altar of King Charles II
- Spanish and Italian liturgical vestments, paintings and sacred objects of the 16th and 17th centuries
- Memory of the artists’ colony of Chiusa (1874–1914) and of Alexander Koester
- Baroque Capuchin church
- Free digital book on the Loreto Treasury and virtual tour
Permanent exhibition
- Tesoro di Loreto – On the first floor the gifts of the Spanish court to the convent are displayed: vestments, sacred objects and 16th- and 17th-century paintings, including Charles II’s field altar.
- Founded
- 1914
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
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| Reduced | €4Groups of 8 people and visitors aged 65 and over |
| Children & teens | €2Children aged 8 to 18: €2; school pupils enter free of charge. |
| Seniors | €4From age 65 |
| Students & apprentices | €2Students |
| Groups (8+ people) | €4 per person |
| Families | €10 |
| Temporary exhibition or Capuchin church only (adults) | €4 |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | €10 |
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- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
A free interactive digital book on the Loreto Treasury (iOS and Android, in German and Italian) is available for young visitors, families and schools. A family ticket is offered.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The route also includes the Capuchin church. At present the collection of the artists’ colony paintings is not open to the public, and the field altar of the Spanish royal couple remains closed for urgent restoration work. Information on guided tours can be obtained from the museum. |
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