Churches & monasteries. In Wattens

"We have been very lucky here in Wattens. We should thank God for it and build him a beautiful church". These words were spoken by company founder Daniel Swarovski I on his deathbed, and in accordance with his wish, construction of a church began in 1954. The timelessly modern church on the generously designed Marienplatz was completed in 1958 and consecrated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

The Laurentius Church in Wattens is an architectural gem and enriches the center of Wattens with its beauty. Excavations discovered during renovation work, as well as the name of the church, suggest that its foundation dates back to Roman times. The Laurentiuskirche was first mentioned in a document in 1318.

The present church was rebuilt in the neoclassical style after several fires and was consecrated in 1820. Since 1983, a bronze plaque has commemorated Father Jakob Gapp, who was executed in Berlin on August 13, 1943 as a witness to his faith.

Father Gapp was beatified in Rome in 1996 and is regarded as the patron saint of the lonely, the persecuted and people in hopeless situations. Jakob Gapp received the sacrament of baptism in the Laurentius Church. It is possible to visit the Laurentius Church.