Villach - Church Humour?

Villach is a strange little Austrian town close to the Italian border. As a Nazi hold out at the end of World War II it was subject to intense bombing and much in the city was destroyed. According to Wikpedia: the town was bombed 37 times by the Allies. About 42,500 bombs killed 300 people and damaged 85% of the buildings, nevertheless the city quickly recovered.

It's a pleasant town but there was really very little of great interest - an Austrian lady I met on the train to Udine was astounded I’d even spend a night there. However the Post Hotel had a remarkably good dining room and perhaps on something other than the Whitsun Monday holiday it would have been more active and attractive.

However the parish church of St Jakob was interesting if for nothing more than some unintentional humour.

Laurent’s first impression of the ceiling? It looks like pretzels!


Is it just me or do the two figures on either side of Christ seem to be pointing with a “He’s the Man!” attitude? Or am I just imaging things?


I know that the idea behind this pulpit is The Tree of Jesse but I kept thinking it may also be a comment on the quality of the sermons being preached from it. I'm not sure I would want to hold forth from a podium with a sleeping man under it, it could give parishioners ideas!



08 guigno - San Massimino