The Chapel of the White Light at Pitztal Glacier

At an altitude of almost 2,900 metres, there is a special place of peace, gratitude and reflection. The Chapel of the White Light brings together art, architecture and nature – surrounded by the spectacular mountain scenery of Pitztal Glacier.

Just a few minutes’ walk from the Kristall mountain restaurant, a gleaming white sculpture stands out against the dark, reddish rock of its surroundings: the Chapel of the White Light.

Its clean lines, white Carrara marble and the interplay of natural light make it an extraordinary work of art. At the same time, it is a place where visitors can pause, find peace and experience the high-alpine landscape more consciously.

The chapel was not designed to dominate nature. Instead, it engages in a quiet dialogue with its surroundings.

The idea of building the chapel was born out of gratitude. The shareholders of Pitztaler Gletscherbahn wanted to express their thankfulness that the development of Pitztal Glacier had been completed without any serious incidents or accidents.

They also wanted to create a place that reflected a deep respect for nature and the mountains. This landscape not only shapes the region but has also provided an important living and economic environment for generations of people in the Pitztal valley.

Since 1998, the Chapel of the White Light has stood at Pitztal Glacier as a visible symbol of this gratitude.

The chapel was designed by Tyrolean sculptor and draughtsman Rudi Wach. Born in Hall in Tirol in 1934 and raised in Thaur, the artist has lived and worked in Milan for many years.

Rudi Wach saw the chapel not simply as a building, but as a sculpture in its own right. It was intended to blend into the white mountain landscape without competing with the scenery created by nature.

It took several years to arrive at the final design. Numerous discussions, sketches and discarded ideas were needed before the chapel’s form, the choice of stone and the designs of the altar, portal and cross were finalised.

The original plan was to build the chapel entirely from solid blocks of marble. However, transporting the heavy blocks, the associated costs and the challenging conditions at this altitude made the idea almost impossible to realise.

Italian engineer Grassi found the solution: a stainless-steel structure forms the chapel’s supporting framework. A total of 180 blocks of white Carrara marble were then attached to it.

From the outside, this creates the impression of a solid structure built entirely from stone. Individual marble blocks weigh up to 3,370 kilograms and had to be transported specially up the mountain.

The entire structure is 8.20 metres high. Depending on the weather, season and light, its white stone forms a striking contrast with the surrounding glacier and rocky landscape.

The entrance consists of a 3.70-metre-high titanium portal weighing approximately two tonnes. Its distinctive design leads into an interior measuring just 4.60 by 3.80 metres, which was deliberately kept small and understated.

Above the entrance is a golden cross that appears to be opening like a flower. The cross is intended to express gratitude for creation, the glacier and the mountain landscape.

The combination of Carrara marble, stainless steel, titanium and coloured glass gives the chapel its unmistakable character.

At the centre of the chapel stands an altar made from Carrara marble and weighing almost one tonne. It forms the calm focal point of the interior and symbolically connects earth and light.

Despite the chapel’s modest dimensions, visitors can gather around the altar. The interior feels sheltered and comforting, while the surrounding mountains remain ever-present due to the chapel’s location and altitude.

Services, thanksgiving celebrations and special personal moments take place here. At the same time, the chapel is open to anyone seeking a few minutes of peace and quiet.

The small coloured windows above the altar are particularly striking. They refract the incoming sunlight, creating an ever-changing display of colours and moods inside the chapel.

Depending on the time of day, the weather and the position of the sun, patches of coloured light move across the walls, floor and altar. As a result, no two visits are ever quite the same.

This interplay between white stone and coloured light also defines the chapel’s unique character: clear and radiant on the outside, warm, colourful and sheltered within.

An easy meditation trail leads around the chapel. Several stations invite visitors to pause, take in their surroundings and let their gaze wander across the mountains.

Allow approximately 15 minutes to complete the circular route. Yet this experience is less about walking time or distance and more about taking time for yourself.

Amid a landscape shaped by mighty mountains, rocks, ice and constantly changing weather, the chapel provides a sheltered space for personal reflection.

Since the chapel was built, the thanksgiving service at the end of the winter season has become a cherished tradition. Employees, local residents and guests come together to give thanks for the season and for safe operations.

To this day, the chapel continues to fulfil the purpose for which it was created: bringing together gratitude, community and respect for the mountain environment.

In summer 2026, the area in front of the chapel was redesigned. The new forecourt provides this sacred work of art with a fitting and welcoming setting, while offering visitors additional space to pause and spend time.

The newly designed chapel forecourt will be officially inaugurated on 23 August 2026. The ceremony will be led by Father Thomas Ladner, with music provided by the Oberperfuss Men’s Choir and the Oberland Alphorn Players.

The new space is intended to have an impact far beyond this special occasion: as a place for people to meet, find peace and pause together.

• built in 1998
• located at an altitude of almost 2,900 metres
• designed by Rudi Wach
• 8.20-metre-high structure
• supporting framework made from stainless steel
• 180 blocks of Carrara marble
• individual stone blocks weighing up to 3,370 kilograms
• 3.70-metre-high titanium portal
• titanium portal weighing approximately two tonnes
• interior dimensions: 4.60 × 3.80 metres
• Carrara marble altar weighing almost one tonne
• approximately 15 minutes’ walking time for the meditation trail

The chapel is approximately five minutes’ walk from the Gletscherexpress mountain station and the Kristall mountain restaurant. It is open during Pitztal Glacier’s operating hours and can be visited in both summer and winter.

Anyone stepping through the titanium portal leaves the bustle of the ski area behind for a moment. What remains is silence, coloured light and a view of a landscape far greater than the concerns of everyday life.

The Chapel of the White Light is therefore far more than an extraordinary work of art. It is a place that reminds us to treat nature, the mountains and one another with care and respect.