For German-Texans, the churches that dotted the prairie were their sanctuaries, their reprieve from the difficulties of frontier life. They were structurally sound, and many were quite aesthetically beautiful inside – none more so than those “Churches in Texas with decorative interior painting” – as they are distinguished by the National Register of Historic Places. The beautifully painted ornamentation of the walls and ceilings were the work of German and Czech immigrant painters who mostly arrived after 1900. Fifteen painted churches exist across Texas, most of them clustered in the South Central Texas communities around Schulenberg, like Ammannsville, Dubina, High Hill, and Praha.

Guided tours of four of the painted churches are available through the Greater Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce, and many are open to visitors traveling on their own.

Watch our Religious and Ethnic Diversity in German Texan Communities video to learn more about German Texan cultural heritage in Texas. This video was produced for inclusion in our German Texans mobile tour found in our Texas Time Travel Tours mobile app. Download the app for more videos and travel information: