The iconic St John’s Church (San Giovanni) in Ranui, Italy by Marga Vroom

This is one of the most iconic and frequently photographed locations in the Italian Dolomites: the church of San Giovanni in Ranui (St. Johann), situated in the picturesque Val di Funes. This small Baroque chapel, dating from 1744, seems almost deliberately placed to form a perfect contrast with the rugged, vertical peaks of the Geisler Group in the background.
The power of the image lies in its layering. In the foreground, you can see the vast, rolling alpine meadows which, depending on the season, are a vivid green or golden yellow. The church itself is a prime example of Tyrolean architecture, recognisable by the characteristic onion-shaped dome on the bell tower and the detailed fresco-'s on the façades. Directly behind the chapel, the slopes rise steeply, covered in dense coniferous forests and larch trees that transform into a fiery orange in autumn. The real showstopper, however, is the backdrop: the razor-sharp limestone peaks of the Odle. In the photo, these summits are partly enveloped by low-hanging clouds, lending a mystical and dramatic atmosphere to the scene. Although the spot is extremely popular with tourists, the surroundings still exude a serene tranquillity. The Val di Funes is known as one of the more authentic valleys in South Tyrol, where the focus is on small-scale tourism and agriculture. It serves as a gateway to the Puez-Odle Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For walkers and photographers, this is the ‘ "uitzicht" ’ of the Dolomites, a harmonious fusion of human devotion and the untamed power of nature.