Texas has long had a significant Central European influence. German, Czech, Austrian and Swiss immigrants landed in Galveston during the 19^th century and migrated west to central Texas with hopes of securing inexpensive farmland and practicing their faith.

Part of their legacy is The Painted Churches of Texas. The fresh arrivals, struggling to establish new lives while preserving their cultural identity, built these churches in their communities. They could not reproduce the grand cathedrals and churches of their homelands. Instead, they erected wooden churches and painted the interiors in an elaborate style. In many of the interiors they rendered with paint and wood the architectural details of stonework that they could not build. The exteriors of many of these structures are very simple but their interiors are masterworks of visual painted texture and color.

Our hunt began with the ten of the best-known churches in or near Schulenburg. These churches are out in the middle of farm and cattle lands on the Texas prairie. It is hard to imagine such grand structures in the sparsely populated areas. Because of the flat landscape you can see their beckoning steeples for miles before you arrive. The town of Schulenburg is recognized as the official home of the painted churches. Many historic sites and markers are scattered around this charming area. This region is especially appealing in the spring when the blue bonnets and paintbrush wildflowers are in full bloom.

Dubina Parish Church

We began our tour in Dubina. Dubina was the first settlement in Texas founded entirely by Czech-Moravians. They  were some of the earliest families in Texas who left the Austro-Hungarian Empire by boat landing in Galveston. They named the town for the many oak trees in the area (the Czech word for oak grove is “dubina”). The Dubina Parish Church was built in 1877 but lost in the Velasco hurricane of 1909. The present church was erected in 1912 as the Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church. This Church is a Carpenter Gothic design – a Gothic Revival Style which emulates with wood features that were originally carved in stone in Gothic Architecture.It is painted inside with stencils and fresco. The forged cross which adorns the steeple is from the original church, and forged by Tom Lee, a blacksmith who was a freed slave.

Ammannsville St John the Baptist Church

Ammannsville was established in 1870 by Andrew Ammann and his family.  Until 1890 the townspeople had to travel out of town to attend a religious service. Then, the church was built and dedicated to John the Baptist. As in Dubina, the church perished in the Velasco hurricane. The congregation opted to rebuild the church in a decorative Victorian style, but the new church burned to its foundations. Only a few statues from the original churched survived and are displayed in the current church. In 1917 the present church, known as the pink church because of its rose colored interior, was built on the same site. Faux marble painted wood columns support a beautifully stenciled ceiling. It is once believed that the existing interior was painted by a European drifter who stenciled and marbled in freehand, but the work is now attributed to Fred Donneker a decorative painter of the time.  It is one of the most striking interiors of all of the churches.

Praha The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The town of Praha was originally known as Mulberry, for the creek in the area where Czech-Moravian immigrants settled in in 1854.  The name Praha, the Czech spelling for Prague, was given to the town years later. The church was built and dedicated under the name The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is often referred to as St Mary’s. A well-known Swiss Artist Gottfried Flury, who lived in the area, painted the colorful vaulted ceiling. The ceiling has not changed from the day it was painted in 1895, and never retouched. The Praha cemetery next to the church was dedicated in 1865. Praha has a huge gathering every August for the Assumption of Mary when thousands descend on the church grounds for a homecoming celebration.

High Hill St Mary’s Catholic Church

High Hill was first established in the mid-1800s by German and Austrian settlers.  Originally called “Blum Hill” it was once a stagecoach stop until a train was routed through the area in 1874.  There have been three churches built on this site. The current church The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church was constructed in 1908 and painted six years later. It is a Gothic Revival design with a late Victorian twist. It is known as the “Queen of the Painted Churches” due to its brilliant color, dynamic stained glass windows. Eighteen original windows from the second church were placed in the current church. The wooden columns are painted with turkey feathers to look like marble. It has a highly-crafted altar, chandelier, and pipe organ. The Stations of the Cross were made in Italy as was a hand-painted replica of Michelangelo’s “Pieta.”

Moravia The Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church

In the 1870s a wave of immigrants from Moravia Czechoslovakia arrived in Texas. To honor their homeland they named the area Moravia. With these “New Texans” came their unique customs, language and culture. Even now many the Moravians still speak the Czech language as well as English. The Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church of Moravia was built in 1912, designed by its first pastor Emil Schindler. The interior colors are more subtle than in neighboring churches. A large painting behind the altar represents Christ ascending with the angels.

Serbin- St Pauls Lutheran Church

Also in the 1870s a group of Wendish people from Germany, arrived in central Texas. They built the Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Serbin, Texas. The Wends have their own unique culture and language, and the church they created reveals their culture and traditions. One of their customs was to seat the women and children below on the main level and the men in the balcony during the church service. Men and women sat apart. In ancient times the practice was referred to as a “matrimonium,” this custom lasted until World War II. Now, the entire congregation sits together. The style and decoration of this church is very simple. Its colors are a crisp blue and white. The balcony pulpit is allegedly the highest in Texas. There is also a Wendish Heritage Museum nearby.

Freyburg

Freyburg was founded in the 1860s by German settlers, it was named for a town in the old country. The newcomers established both Lutheran and Methodist churches. The Lutheran church later moved and combined with the Swiss Alp church but the Methodist remained in the same space since its completion in 1879. The interior is simple and contains the original altar and benches.

Philadelphia Evangelical Lutheran Church-Swiss Alp

German Lutherans arrived to settle in Swiss Alp at the close of the Civil War in 1865. The small population was augmented by Wends who arrived a year later from Serbin in Lee County. The Philadelphia Evangelical Lutheran Church emerged as an organized congregation in 1867 that met in local homes for services until a church could be built. The Church was dedicated in 1890 followed by a church bell in 1891. The interior is subdued and simple.

Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Wallis

Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Wallis is one of the last Painted Churches built in Texas. It is a Roman Catholic Church of Gothic Revival design completed in 1915. The leaded glass windows were imported from Italy. There are three brass bells in the tower.

Saint Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church

A half a hour outside Schulenburg in Shiner stands the Saint Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church. It is a grand  red brick building with an interior of Romanesque Revival Style. Above the alter is a  dramatically colorful mural of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was dedicated in 1921. Also of interest in Shiner is the Spoetzel Brewery which brews Shiner Beer.

Wesley Brethren Church

Built in 1866 and painted in 1889, this church is tiny! Czech immigrant pastor Reverend Bohuslav Laciak painted it. It was used as a schoolhouse and the reverend was the teacher. Laciak was often up the ladder painting as the children studied. Legend has it that the faux bricks he painted were suppose to represent the walls of old Jerusalem. Unfortunately he was accidentally shot in a hunting accident- the walls and ceiling remain untouched and unfinished you can still see the sketches he had yet to paint.

We found a peaceful place to stay near The Painted Churches, “Still Waters” in Weimar is a cabin set next to a beautifully, placid one acre lake. It is a pastoral setting with the lake on one side and cows grazing on the other side. Above and next to the house are ancient oaks which cradle the cabin and are loaded with an assortment of song birds. You can find this cabin rental on Airbnb. We have also stayed at Fawn Creek also in Weimar which was a great escape nestled in the woods with a pond out front. It is a sanctuary of peace and the hosts have thought of everything imaginable for your comfort. It is also very close to Schulenburg and the painted churches! Another discovery in this area is a restaurant in  downtown Flatonia called “ The Red Vault Bistro”. It is located in a vintage building that is over a hundred years old. The food selection and setting are outstanding and the prices are reasonable for the quality of the food.

This section of Texas is rich with a blending of cultures. The impact of the immigrants over the years fused with native Texan population to create a fascinating diversity in heritage and history. This has impacted the architecture, art and food of this region and has created unique historical towns. From the rolling prairie, to the farms, to the cattle ranches, and in the spring the explosion of wildflowers, this region will surprise you and so will these remarkable churches!

The crypt is divided into six small chapels which are decorated with over 4,000 Capuchin friars who passed between 1528 and 1870. In the museum leading to the crypt is Caravaggio’s painting, St Francis in Meditation. This painting was created specifically for the convent of the Capuchin Friars. It is in chiaroscuro style (a play of light and dark) with St Francis contemplating a skull which he is holding.

Over its history, the crypt has seen famous visitors. The Marquis de Sade visited in 1775 and was struck by the bones and design. Mark Twain described the “picturesque horrors” of the crypt in his 1869 book Innocents Abroad. Nathaniel Hawthorne visited in 1860. His impressions are inscribed in the crypt:

“The cemetery of the Capuchins is no place to nourish celestial hopes: the soul sinks forlorn and wretched under all this burden of dusty death. Thank Heaven for its blue sky; it needs a long, upward gaze to give us back our faith. Not here can we feel ourselves immortal, where the very altars in these chapels of horrible consecration are heaps of human bones.”

Whatever impressions you get from this unique sanctuary you will not soon forget it! It is a work of art which brilliantly depicts the fleeting nature of this life.

THE VATICAN

Vatican City is an independent country, a microstate, within Rome, and home to the magnificent Saint Peter’s Basilica. Bernini designed Saint Peter’s Square (“Piazza San Pietro”), the immense open space before the basilica. The piazza is flanked on each side by curved, sweeping colonnades. Atop the 284 Tuscan columns are statutes of 140 saints (sculpted by a number of different artists, but not by Bernini). The design represents the arms of the church embracing the faithful. In the center of the square is a fountain designed by Bernini. The obelisk that stands in the fountain is from ancient Egypt and was brought to Rome in 37 AD.

Within the basilica, beneath the massive dome designed by Michaelangelo, is Bernini’s Baldachin (“Baldacchino”), the towering bronze canopy that stands over the over the tomb of St Peter.

Other Bernini works of art in Saint Peter’s Basilica include “Chair of Saint Peter” in gilded marble. A massive bronze monument to the church’s first pope, incased in the altarpiece in the apse, is a chair believed to have been used by St Peter. The altarpiece is a depiction of St Peter receiving the keys from Jesus. Rays of sunlight are often used in Bernini’s art with a dramatic effect. The St Longinus statue stands boldly nearby. There are many other works of Bernini’s here but these were my favorites.

A short distance from Vatican City, the Ponte Sant’Angelo stretches over the Tiber. Built under the rule of Emperor Hadrian in 136 AD, the bridge was renovated under Bernini’s direction in the late 17^th Century. His plan added ten larger-than-life statues of angels, carrying the instruments of “The Passion” (the cross, the crown of thorns, the whip, etc.) He personally completed two angels (“Angel with the Superscription INRI” and “Angel with the Crown of Thorns”), but Pope Clement IX kept them for himself. They are now in basilica church Sant ’Andrea delle Fratte. Most of the angels on the bridge now are inspired versions of the original angels.

THE VILLA BORGHESE

Villa Borghese (formally “Villa Borghese Pinciana,” as it is on the Pincian Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome) was built in the early 17^th Century, with its large English-inspired gardens, as the residence of Cardinal Scipione Borghese. The villa now houses the Borghese Gallery, with many magnificent paintings and sculptures. Much of the Roman, Renaissance and Baroque art.  was commissioned and collected by the cardinal himself.

The gallery contains some of Bernini’s finest work. The masterpieces among them are:

The Rape of Persephone

In Greek mythology the goddess Persephone is seized by her uncle, Hades (Pluto to the Romans), drawn to Hell, and made Queen of the Underworld. Bernini’s statue is stunning, but his genius is in the details in the marble: Persephone’s tossed hair as she struggles; her soft skin pressed by Pluto’s grasp. Bernini was only 23 years old when he sculpted the masterpiece.

Apollo and Daphne

Bernini was 26 when he completed another tale from Greek mythology. The god Apollo falls in love with Daphne, a mortal woman sworn to remain a virgin. He pursues her and as he grasps Daphne, she transforms into a laurel tree. Bernini captures the moment of her metamorphosis in midair as Daphne’s fingers transform into leaves. Her startled face with mouth wide opened shows her surprise and fear. The figures appear in a frenetic motion.

David

Cardinal Borghese commissioned the life-sized statue of David. It was completed in seven months between 1623 to 1624. The energy and power in this piece are remarkable as the biblical David is twisting to throw the stone to take down his unseen foe Goliath, a Philistine giant.

Michaelangelo and Bernini both achieved perfection with their Davids. Michaelangelo’s David stands erect, posed for battle. Bernini’s is in the act of battle. Many of Bernini’s figures are portrayed in moments of spectacular movement.

There is also a self portrait in the gallery.

The Borghese Gallery is an intimate museum. Tickets with reservation times can be booked online. Booking well ahead of time, especially during the peak tourist season, is not only recommended, it is necessary.

BERNINIS AROUND ROME

Bernini has many exterior fountains and free-standing sculptures throughout Rome. Below are some of my favorite sculptures and fountains.  His body of work of provocative and expressive sculptures shaped the Baroque Age.

The Ecstasy of St Teresa

Bernini considered this statue his most beautiful located in the Cornaro Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Saint Teresa’s mystical and joyous religious awakening is staggeringly sensual. As we walked through the Chapel there was complete silence as people seemed transfixed by this masterpiece.

Death of the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni

This is my favorite Bernini sculpture. It is sensual like the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, but the death struggle with the angels looking on invokes tragedy and sorrow. The passionate emotion in this death scene is mesmerizing. The work is located in the Altieri Chapel of the Church of San Francesco a Ripa. This modest church is quiet and intimate, and you can get close to the sculpture.

The church is in the section of Rome known as Trastevere, a bit of a walk from central Rome over the Tiber River. Trastevere had its own character and history and is worth an afternoon.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers

One of Bernini’s most spectacular public monuments is The Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome’s Piazza Navona (1648-51). It is dramatic with an Egyptian obelisk rising over travertine rock with four statues representing the four continents and river gods: the Nile representing Africa, the Danube representing Europe, the Ganges representing Asia, the Rio de la Plata representing the Americas. The symbolism runs deeper for Berrnini as the four rivers  of paradise as described in the book on Genesis.

The Triton Fountain

The Triton Fountain (1642-43), in Piazza Barberini, is a lively deviation from the earlier, more stylized Roman fountains. Four dolphins rise out of the pool supporting a huge open shell from which the sea god emerges blowing a conch shell. It is pure poetry in sparkling motion!

Other Berninis in Rome include busts, funeral monuments and paintings. The pieces described are my favorites and not to be missed if you visit Rome. Bernini’s final resting place is in an inconspicuous spot in the Church of Santa Maia Maggiore.

In its many incarnations from citadel, fortress to opulent palace its origins are historically complex yet its most memorable buildings were constructed between 1238 and 1358 during the Nasrid dynasty when the emirs constructed their monumental homes. The other buildings in the complex were added later, notably the palace of Charles V.

The Alhambra’s design is a  example of the ciudadela tradition also prevalent in Aleppo, Jerusalem and Cairo in which a city is built within a city. The Palace is surrounded by 1,400 meters of protective walls capped with 27 towers. One of the palaces most monumental and enduring features are in its lavishly designed interior spaces The luminous, intricate carvings, and filigree using Arab geometric designs based on 8 sided geometrical figures are incredibly three dimensional. The detail in the carvings is extraordinary and complex. The most striking examples of this are in the Palacio de los Leones (Palace of the lions) named for a ring of marble lions surrounding an alabaster basin with a fountain.

There is a gallery of 124 marble columns with a canopy covered in the carved filigree design It is paved in marble and out in the courtyard are the lustrous sculptured lions. The Hall of the Abencerranjes is  named for the legendary 16^th century knights beheaded in the hall. The mocarabes or Juxtaposed hanging prisms look like carved stalactites suspended from canopies are wonderous the overall affect is ethereal.

The gardens too give the impression of another world. The Generalife palace and gardens are opulent. There is so much to the Alhambra it would be easy to get lost in time there for days The author Washington Irving was so taken by the palace and grounds that he stayed there for  a while in 1828. He was so fascinated by the region of Andalucía and this magical spot that he wrote a collection of essays, sketches and stories “The Tales of the Alhambra”. As I stepped out to catch a bus I heard a woman telling a friend that she had just been to heaven. I could not disagree with that analogy!

Named for the Archangel Michael, the island was once known as Mont-Tomb. Legend holds that Michael appeared to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches and directed that a church be built on this island. From 966 AD onwards, various French dukes and kings supported the development of a Benedictine abbey on this sacred spot. Over time, cloistral buildings and other structures were added along the steep, cobbled main street, These are now hotels, cafes and shops for visitors.

The abbey is the lovely jewel in this crown and one of the most important sites in Medieval Christian civilization. The Romanesque nave predates most of the rest of the structure, largely built over the Medieval era. Some of the other highlights of the island are the ramparts with their panoramic views; La Chapelle-Saint-Aubert, a small contemplative chapel; the Eglise Paroissiale, and Sant-Pierre, a small chapel midway up the main street to the abbey. The nearly 50 residents still living on Mont St. Michel include monks and nuns of the abbey.

The island experiences powerful tidal variations, when water moves at an astounding rate. During “spring tides” (which can occur any time of year and not necessarily during Spring), access to the island can be stopped for more than an hour. Visitors on the island will not be able to leave until access is restored. So, a bit of research may be necessary before finalizing your schedule. A good tour guide will save you time and make the most of your experience here. I usually use getyourguide.com or viator.com. A visit during a spring tide can be quite exciting, and whether on the island or on shore, the sight is staggering. You can park in the Mont-Saint- Michel lot for a nominal fee and get free shuttle service to and from the site.

I would also recommend staying nearby. The villages of Saint Malo, a lovely seafront village, or Rennes known for its half-timbered Medieval houses and the Rennes Cathedral are a good base to explore this unique region. This whole area is full of beautiful historic villages. Mont-Saint-Michel can be done as a daytrip out of Paris, but staying in French countryside has an incomparable charm.