The origins of the parish church St. Michael
Absam is an important place of pilgrimage known far beyond Tyrol. The parish church of St. Michael is famous for the miraculous image of Our Lady on a pane of glass exposed on the right side of the altar. The apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the young peasant girl, Rosina Buecher, in Absam on 17 January 1797 led to a steady increase in pilgrims.
The church is dedicated to the Archangel St. Michael. The first documentary evidence dates back to 1331. The original church was destroyed by Bavarian troops in 1413 but rebuilt between 1420 and 1440 as a three aisled late Gothic hall church. Medieval furnishings include a painted altar from 1470 and a late Gothic crucifix, the Fiegersche Kreuz from 1492.
In the 15th century the parish was moved to Hall in Tirol due to the importance of salt mining and the increasing population. Therefore the St. Michael’s church became a succursal church. The church was damaged during an earthquake in 1670. The tower had to be restored and the roof pyramid was replaced by a lantern. In the 18th century the church was converted to baroque style. The frescoes were made by the Austrian painter Josef Anton Zoller in 1779. During the 19th century several renovations were made. The roof material was replaced, the façade re-gothicised, the lantern covered with copper and the stepped gable and the vestibule were realised. The porch was created in 1898. The interior of the church was restored in 1976/77 whereas the exterior in 1988/89.