Dom zu St. Jakob (Innsbruck)

The Dom zu St. Jakob sits under a massive, copper-sheathed dome that turns a distinct oxidized green against the Alpine sky. Inside, the ceiling is a kaleidoscope of heavy Baroque frescoes, but the real heart of the church is the Mariahilf image by Lucas Cranach the Elder hanging above the high altar. It arrived in Innsbruck in sixteen fifty as a gift from the Elector of Saxony, and ever since, the city has treated the painting as its primary protector against fire, plague, and war.