St. Jacob's Chapel

In fine weather, you can even see as far as the Bernese four-thousand-metre peaks. Today's chapel, on the ridge above the Luthertal valley, was built in 1949 on the same site as its predecessor.

It lies in the shade of a mighty beech tree. Pilgrims had the chapel built in gratitude for the happy return from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The legend is depicted on plaques in the chapel.

The legend

The legend of this pilgrimage is told by the people as follows: The Bösegg farmer went to Santiago with his wife and son. They stayed with an evil innkeeper who secretly slipped a golden cup into his son's traveling bag during the night. He had the pilgrims followed, the cup was found and the poor boy was hanged as a thief. In Santiago, the parents lamented their great grief to the saint and then heard a comforting voice that their son would be returned to them. He was still alive on the gallows. They also told what had happened to the bishop, who was at the midday meal.

After hearing the pilgrims, the bishop said, "As little as these roasted chickens will come back to life, so little can your son be alive on the gallows." The roasted chickens immediately came to life, flew away and the son, when they came to him, was still alive, and the gallows bowed gently and set him down on the ground. The wicked innkeeper went to the gallows instead of him. So the Bösegger traveled home joyfully. On the way home, the pilgrims cut a walking stick from a pimpernut tree and stuck it in the ground by the chapel. A tree grew from it, which still stands today and bears pimpernuts every year.

On St. James' Day (July 25), a Eucharistic celebration is held in St. James' Chapel at 7.30 pm.