St. Stephan ob Burgeis im Kontext des mittelalterlichen Kirchenbaus im Alpenraum

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St. Stephan ob Burgeis, located in the municipality of Schlinig near the monastery Marienberg, is one of the oldest churches in the Upper Vinschgau Valley. Excavations in the 1980s uncovered numerous graves and renovation phases, which are comprehensively analyzed for the first time in this publication. Six distinct construction phases, beginning in the 7th century, are identified, with Phase III (660–1000) noted for its southern extension and a unique stone chamber grave featuring eight burials and a belt fitting. During the High Middle Ages, the church came under the control of the lords of Tarasp, a significant noble family, who used it as a center for territorial expansion and power consolidation in the Upper Vinschgau Valley. This context positions St. Stephan ob Burgeis as a precursor to the modern monastery Marienberg. The publication argues that the church was part of a castle belonging to the lords of Tarasp. Following their extinction, the church was acquired by the monastery Marienberg, which transformed it into a multistorey structure and designated it as the parish church for Schlinig. This comprehensive work provides valuable insights into the early and high medieval periods of the Upper Vinschgau Valley through the lens of church archaeology.