Tyrol Italy. South Tyrol - the atmosphere of Austria! South Tyrol = Italy or Austria

Lake Carezza or Lake Rainbow is a very small lake that is located in Italy, 25 kilometers from Bolzano, in the village of Nova Levante at the foot of Mount Latemar. And although the lake is small, thanks to the unique color of the water it is known throughout the world and is a pearl of Italian nature.

The size of the lake is constantly changing, the maximum length reaches 287 meters in the spring, at the same time the depth reaches 17 meters. In summer, the depth of the lake drops to 6 meters, but then its temperature rises to its maximum and reaches plus 13 degrees.

Scientists explain the unusual color of the lake’s water by the minerals that make up its composition. But there are other opinions on this matter. For example, local residents believe in a beautiful legend about Lake Carezza. The legend says that the sorcerer Masare was in love with a mermaid, but could not achieve her reciprocity. A sorceress he knew found out about this and advised him to dress up as a jewelry merchant and give a rainbow to his beloved. The sorcerer listened to the advice and did everything as she said, but he just forgot to change clothes. The proud mermaid recognized Masare and told him that she would never swim to the surface of the lake again. Angry, the magician threw all the jewels and fragments of the rainbow into her lake, and the lake has since become rainbow-colored.

Folgaria

Loved by Italians and visitors to the country, the ski resort is a small village with cobbled streets and a large selection of hotels. Folgaria is located next to the ski slopes. Beautiful mountains, winding roads, no car noise. On the 33 slopes of Folgaria, everyone will be comfortable: both advanced snowboarders and beginner skiers.

The ski resort has modern, safe lifts, a ski school and real mountain huts where you can relax and have a snack. Leisure time for adults and children is thoughtfully organized: there is the opportunity to skate, swim, go to the sauna, go to a disco, sing karaoke, while a nanny will look after the children.

What sights of South Tyrol did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Province of South Tyrol

South Tyrol, or as it is also called Bolzano Bozen, is a border province in northern Italy. Italian and Austrian traditions meet in this picturesque mountainous region with a complex history. On the slopes of the Dolomites there are small medieval towns, numerous vineyards and modern ski resorts.

The culture of the province is largely determined by Austrian influence, as the area only came under Italian control in 1919. This explains the German language of more than half of the population, national costumes and cuisine.

South Tyrol is rich in both cultural and natural attractions. The largest Italian nature reserve is located here - the Stelvio National Park. In the cities of the province, many architectural monuments have been preserved - medieval monasteries, churches and castles are located in the capital of South Tyrol, the city of Bolzano and in the vicinity of the famous resort of Meran, in the cities of Brixen and Brunico. Be sure to visit Marienberg Abbey and Sigmundskron Castle.

And the Pusteria Valley and the Venosta district await ski lovers both in winter and summer.

The most popular attractions in South Tyrol with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in South Tyrol on our website.

This term has other meanings, see Bolzano. Coordinates: 46°30′00″ N. w. 11°20′00″ E. d. ... Wikipedia

St. Lorenzen (South Tyrol)- Municipality of St. Lorenzen St. Lorenzen Italian. San Lorenzo di Sebato Coat of Arms File:San Lorenzo di Sebato Stemma.png ... Wikipedia

Terrorism, South Tyrol- Terrorism, South Tyrol. Terrorism in South Tyrol arose after Germany's defeat in World War II. The terrorists adhered to neo-fascist ideology, demanded the reunification of the lands of South Tyrol with Germany, methods of explosions in public... ... Terrorism and terrorists. Historical reference book

Tyrol (disambiguation)- Tyrol may refer to the following regions: Tyrol is a historical region in the Eastern Alps, a county within the Holy Roman Empire Tyrol is a federal state of Austria South Tyrol is an autonomous province of Italy East Tyrol is a separate... ... Wikipedia

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Tyrol- (German Tirol): Tyrol (historical region) a historical region in the Eastern Alps, a county within the Holy Roman Empire. Tyrol (state) is a federal state of Austria. Tyrol (football club) Austrian football... ... Wikipedia

Vienna South Station- View of the eastern side of the South Station from the Arsenal Radio Tower Vienna South Station, Südbahnhof (German: Wien Südbahnhof) is the largest Viennese railway station. Located in the southeastern region ... Wikipedia

South Station (Vienna)- This term has other meanings, see South Station. View of ... Wikipedia

Val Venosta- South Tyrol and Val Venosta, the geographical division does not coincide with its administrative and political division Val Venosta or Vinschgau (Italian Val Venosta, German Vinschgau) is a system of valleys in the westernmost part of South Tyrol or autonomous ... ... Wikipedia

Finschgau- South Tyrol and Val Venosta; natural geographical division does not coincide with its administrative-political division of Vinschgau or Val Venosta (German: Vinschgau ... Wikipedia

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The decision to go to Italy has been brewing for a long time and two factors contributed to this.

The first - my friend got married, went to live in the north of Italy, in South Tyrol, and all the time invited us to visit her.

And secondly, my husband had a dream to climb in the Dolomites on the so-called “Via Ferrata”.

But, despite our burning desire, everything somehow did not work out with visiting this wonderful country. And here at the Moscow tourism exhibition, in March, the north of Italy was quite widely represented. Having typed the booklets and re-read them “from cover to cover”, we decided - that’s it! let's go!

There were no questions about the travel time - the vacation was in September. All that remained was to develop a route and obtain an Italian visa.

Having covered myself with booklets and plunging into the information web of the Internet, I began to consider possible options for the travel route. Realizing that there was not enough time to explore the sights of Italy on a large scale, we decided to limit ourselves this year to only the north. I wanted to see a lot, but the more I delved into the sights of South Tyrol and surrounding areas, the more I realized that most likely we would not go far))). As a result, we decided that we would decide on the spot - we were going on vacation after all, and not to carry out Stakhanov’s plan for sightseeing. Although, I would be lying if I said that we left everything to chance. Of course, we did not forget about Via Ferrata.

Having received an invitation from a friend and having prepared all the necessary documents, we went to the Italian visa center. There were no problems obtaining a visa. All that was left was to wait for the vacation and hit the road! Of all the methods of transportation, the long, but most interesting one was chosen - a car.

Between household chores and the bustle of work, the two months before departure flew by like one day. I wasn’t even upset that summer was over—I just didn’t notice it.

And so, all the valuable instructions at work were distributed, the children were instructed, food was purchased for the cat, and my husband and I were on our way in our favorite Hyundai Gets car...

A little about the road.

Russia. Despite the early hour, it took about an hour and a half to get out of Moscow due to the construction of an interchange on the M1 highway near Lesnoy Gorodok. We stopped for a few minutes to look at the source of the Moscow River. We got to Belarus without incident, which is surprising, because we love adventure.

Belarus. Good highway. Almost everywhere you can go at a speed of 120 km per hour. There are a few areas where speed is severely limited, but there are few of them and they have virtually no effect on the speed of movement around the country. I was pleased with the appearance of the cultivated fields and the presence of agricultural machinery on them. I haven’t seen this for a long time (I’m not talking about all of Russia, only about the Moscow region).

We stayed at the Energy Hotel. A very good hotel for its class.

Poland. I will not open America to anyone if I say that the roads of Poland are a nightmare for a motorist. Yegoryevskoye Highway No. 2 (if anyone knows, you know what I mean). All roads go through villages and towns. The average speed is 60 km per hour at best. At first, of course, I was touched by the toy houses and well-groomed lawns in front of these houses, small fields with pot-bellied orange or yellow pumpkins adorning them, and fruit trees lined in even rows along the road. But gradually all this begins to tire and, despite all my tender attitude towards Poland, irritate.

No, of course, there are several highways there, but, unfortunately, they almost did not pass along our route. Only if it's a little. Yes, and even then, one part of such a route, just leading to Ostrava, was blocked, and the navigator stubbornly tried to return us there and categorically refused to re-plot the path. We got out of the situation by following the Austrian, figuring that, most likely, he was going home. It was he who brought us onto the track, already in the Czech Republic.

During my journey through Poland, I became convinced that the troops of Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union not in 1939, but in 1941 only because they could not find the road to the border.

Czech Republic. We entered the Czech Republic in the dark. From the border of Poland to Brno, where we had booked a hotel room, there is a highway, but what’s surprising is that you drive through some sections of it as if on a washboard. I don’t know how they manage to do it, but even on purpose you can’t put the coating like that...

Here, in Brno, I missed the hotel for the first time. I ordered it on the outskirts of the city, not far from the highway to Vienna. I would call it not a hotel, but a flophouse. Some shady characters were hanging around. Naive Indians asked for mineral water in their room - they were asked to drink tap water, citing that their water was good. It may very well be, of course, but the poor Indians almost had a heart attack “with myocardium”. For them, tap water is tantamount to a biological weapon. Yes, there was no mineral, hot water there. And this is by no means for the symbolic cost of a room. However, parking and breakfast were paid separately. However, we did not have breakfast there.

ABOUT! Austria! Well, what can I tell you, you know everything yourself. Roads are fun. But an adventure happened to us here too. But rather pleasant. The fact is that we forgot to put a map of Germany into the navigator and our “girl” (that’s what I call the navigator because of the female voice) took us off the autobahn and led us clearly along the border of Austria with Germany through a pass. Actually, we understood that “she” was wrong, but for some reason we listened. And they didn’t regret it. We saw such beauty!!! Each new turn of the road presented us with another surprise - either a small waterfall sparkling in the sun, or a malachite-colored meadow with a delightful house, or a mountain peak with a cloud sleeping on it. As a result, we, of course, lost an hour and a half in time, but I kept remembering the cartoon “The Little Engine from Romashkovo.” Remember? – If we don’t see the dawn, we could be late for life!...

Italy. One can talk endlessly about the roads of Italy, like Austria. The highways here are toll roads, but they are also free and of excellent quality. The respect drivers have for each other is amazing. When we drove along the serpentine road for the first time, my husband was driving the car at low speed, about 50 km/h, because... The road was unfamiliar and I didn’t want to miss the right exit. A Porsche Carrera Cabriolet caught up with us. He followed us calmly, didn’t blink his headlights, didn’t honk like a victim, and waited for a section where he could overtake. He overtook him and didn’t even make a “face”. He may have cursed to himself, but this did not affect his behavior in any way. At the moment I am talking about the north of Italy, because... I can’t say what’s wrong with the roads in the south. At least, Andi, my friend’s husband, said that, despite the fact that he himself is sometimes reckless, he does not like to drive a car to the south, because the traffic there resembles Brownian.

Tyrolean tunes.Benvenuti! Wilkommen! Benuni!

South Tyrol - aka Autonome Provinz Bozen - Südtirol, aka Provincia autonoma di Bolzano - Alto Adige, aka Provincia Autonoma de Balsan - Südtirol.

Strictly speaking, South Tyrol is not quite Italy yet. Everything here brings to mind Austria. And no wonder. After all, until 1919, this part of Italy was part of the Austrian Empire. This left its mark on many things: language (two thirds of the population of South Tyrol speak German, an Austro-Bavarian dialect), architectural style and gastronomic preferences. The Tyrolean hospitality, regularity, national clothing, cleanliness and order inherited by this province have the same roots.

Currently, this region has broad autonomy and is responsible for many socio-economic issues. The president of the autonomy is a representative of the South Tyrol People's Party. All local officials are required to speak two languages. In the local parliament, meetings are also held in two languages. In schools, German is taught as the main language, Italian only as a second language. There are bilingual road signs on the roads, menus in restaurants are in Italian and German. In fairness, I must say that in addition to residents who speak German or Italian, there are a small number of speakers of the Romansh group of languages ​​- the Ladin language. This is a very small group in terms of numbers – it makes up only about 4% of the region’s residents.

Many South Tyroleans dream of reunification with Austria. Here, from time to time, a statement is heard and read in German: “Südtirol ist nicht Italien!” And the provincial authorities offered Rome to buy their region for 15 billion euros. There has been no response from Rome yet.

But let's not get into politics...

What awaits travelers in South Tyrol? Well, first of all, these are mountains - beautiful mountains, mountain passes and gorges. Half of Italy's ski resorts are located in South Tyrol.

Scientists have proven that 250 million years ago the Dolomites located here were a coral reef. This is probably why they take on a pink tint at dusk.

There is a legend associated with that special pinkish color that mountain ranges turn a minute before sunset or at dawn. It says that in the old days wonderful rose gardens grew here, and amazingly beautiful people lived in this region. But the evil neighbors decided to destroy their world and conquer its civilians. However, the inhabitants of the region resorted to the powers of magical spirits and made their world invisible, turning the blooming garden into impregnable rocks. And only twice a day, when the sun touches the mountain peaks, the curtain is lifted and all people can see the unusually beautiful flowering of the gardens in the Dolomites.

I read an interesting fact. It turns out that the Dolomites owe their name to a French scientist, who in 1789 first described these mountains and sent a soil sample to Switzerland. He soon received an answer that such a composition was not listed in the library of the Institute of Rocks, and therefore Mr. Dolomier was given the right to give the mountains his name.

One day Tanya suggested that we go to the Passo Sella pass (2240 ​​m). This is one of the most famous passes in the Dolomites. It connects the Val di Fassa in the province of Trentino with the Val Gardena in the province of Bolzano. There are many routes of any difficulty for walking in the summer and fantastic ski slopes in the winter. A rather steep serpentine road leads there. And while we were climbing, she asked several times to drop me off.

“I’ll wait here for you,” I whined.

“You will regret it later if you don’t come with us,” my husband persuaded me. “You know about it yourself.”

And at that moment, when I already wanted to swear that I would not regret anything, we went upstairs.

Yes... I would regret it..., - that’s all I could exhale, shocked by what I saw.

An unforgettable view opened before us! The peak of Mount Marmolada, the highest point in the Dolomites, covered with eternal snow, fascinates with its grandeur. The amazingly beautiful valleys, some amazing green color, lie at the foot. Above the pass rise the peaks of the Sassolungo mountain range, at the foot of which there is a stunningly beautiful labyrinth of boulders. This picture evokes a whole bunch of emotions and impressions. A feeling of unreality of what is happening, as if you were inside an advertising brochure or a postcard. It was with regret that we left this amazing place...

In addition to the mountains, in South Tyrol you will find a national park and regional nature parks, magical lakes, emerald valleys, cute fairy-tale Alpine towns and villages, and medieval castles.

The region is indeed dotted with castles and fortresses. Different sources indicate different numbers, but according to some sources there are about 400! Some of them are well preserved, others not so much. Some of them have now turned into museums, others into private residences, or into hotels and restaurants in medieval style.

In 2009, the region was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tanya, what should I bring you from Moscow?

Herring, buckwheat,... and also Borodinsky's bread...

Yes, all this is not there... But there are many other tasty and interesting things. Among the local dishes, we were able to try Schlutzkrapfen - this is something like our dumplings, but with Ricotta cheese and the addition of spinach. Served with melted butter and grated Parmesan. Tasty!

It was interesting to try Canederli (Dumplings) – flour balls. They are prepared from finely crumbled bread crumbs with the addition of either spinach or speck. There are also sweet dumplings with plums or apricots.

And, of course, Weißwurst - white sausages. We call them Bavarian.

But Italian cuisine is also held in high esteem here - pizza, pasta, lasagna and much more. Polenta is an amazing baked corn porridge. It’s impossible to try everything, so we bought ourselves a cookbook there with recipes for South Tyrol dishes. Now we cook at home and enjoy.

A separate song needs to be sung about cheeses. I never thought I would like sheep's cheese! And Parmesan!?

And wine... Red, white, rose... Dry, semi-dry, sparkling... Light, tart, with a fruity aroma...

The so-called South Tyrol Wine Road is very popular among tourists. Its length is about 70 km and it passes through the territories of 15 communes. Here you can taste and buy the wine you like. But, unfortunately, we didn’t get to the Wine Road... We had our own “road”, and the procedure “on it” was somewhat different - we first bought wine, and then tasted it... However, from the change of place the sum of the terms does not change.

South Tyrol also inherited the brewing tradition from Austria. Beer is as popular here as wine. My husband tried several varieties and really liked them.

And yet, no matter how much we wanted, we did not see or taste, probably, even a tenth of everything that South Tyrol has to offer.

Lajen/ Laion.

My friend and her family live in the village of Layen. This is a German name, but in Italian it sounds like Lion. This village is located at an altitude of 1100 meters and its streets offer beautiful views of the Alps. Layen has quite a long history. The first settlement, traces of which were found in the vicinity of Layen, was here about 6,000 years ago. Excavations were carried out in 2000-2002, and archaeologists discovered tools and household items from the Stone Age. In the ancient Roman era there was a road here, and in the village, which was already mentioned at that time Lajanum, there was a guard post.

Excavations show that already in the 3rd century AD. Here they were engaged in raising livestock and manufacturing building materials. This is proven by archaeologists who found a pool for processing wool and a kiln for the production of bricks and tiles, with the corresponding tools. From the 5th to the 10th century there is virtually no information about the village and it was only in 985 that the name Lajen was again mentioned in chronicles.

Here, in Laien, in 1168, Walter von der Vogelweide, the great German poet, was born. Then a poetic style flourished, which was called minnesang (love song), and Walter was considered a minnesinger, that is, a troubadour. Walter von der Vogelweide belonged to the knightly class and wielded not only a pen, but also a sword. He traveled a lot and visited Palestine. By the way, he wrote great poetry. If anyone has the “Library of World Literature” series, you can read it in the volume “Poetry of Troubadours, Minnesingers, Vagants.” Well, or find it on the Internet.

They say that the poet’s descendants still live in the village.

Here, in general, people live for generations. For example, the family of Andi, my friend’s husband, has lived there for more than three hundred years. The large family house is already a hundred years old; it was built to replace the old one that burned down. The house is located on a slope and it turns out that on one side it is two-story, and on the other, three-story. It was interesting to get acquainted with the structure of the house and everyday life. Ancient traditions and modernity miraculously merge here. Large living rooms. A wood-burning stove has been preserved in the kitchen, but not as an exhibit. It is actively used, although it would seem that the kitchen is equipped with all modern equipment. On the ground floor, on the three-story side, there used to be a bakery, and in the attic, in a separate room, there was a smokehouse. The hams were hung by iron hooks, and a special stove was heated, the smoke from which did not go straight into the chimney, but into the smokehouse. And although it has not been used for a long time, the amazing smell of smoked meats has remained here. And here, in the attic, there is an old mill - an interesting exhibit for a local history museum. My husband and I were amazed by the old lock that locks the front door. We later saw the same one in one of the castles in Bolzano. This is a real rarity! And the key to it is of extraordinary size!

The balcony offers stunning views of the mountains and the neighboring village. And in the spring, when the snow melts in the mountains, you can see a waterfall from here - they say it is of amazing beauty. You will probably say that everything about her is amazing, amazing?! But, it’s really very beautiful! And I think many will agree with me that mountains are one of the greatest and most beautiful creations of nature.

The forest-covered mountains brought to mind mushrooms. But, as they explained to us, mushrooms can be picked here on even days, in quantities of no more than two kilograms per person and... only for Italian citizens. And if we could somehow agree on the first two points, we could not argue with the third.

And so, in our understanding, Layen is more of a small town rather than a village. It includes several more villages: Tschofas, Tanirs, Novale, Albions, St. Peter (I don't know how to pronounce some of the names). It has its own stadium, many small shops and cafes, a bank branch and even its own tourist information center.

The streets of Layen, paved with paving stones, either run down a steep slope or rise up. The wooden balconies of the houses are decorated with flowers. Almost every house, according to tradition, is signed with the name of its owner. Surrounded by mountains, pastures and forests of dwarf pines that slope down between hedgerows, vineyards and chestnut groves.

"Milks" are grazing

We went to the Church of the Mother of God. The picturesque Gothic-style church was first mentioned in 1147. According to legend, it stands on the foundation of a pagan altar. Gothic stained glass windows, arched vaults, frescoes with scenes from the Bible. Altar with Gothic and Renaissance elements.

We walk through the village.

Grüss Gott – the residents we meet, the salesman in the shop, and the restorers of the amazing old chapel greet us.

Grüss Gott – we answer.

I remember how in the recent past, when I was on student trips to “potato”, even in our villages we greeted everyone when we met, regardless of the degree of acquaintance.

Life in the village is leisurely and measured. Everything is subject to its own schedule.

On the outskirts of the village, in a picturesque meadow, cows graze. There is a sense of calm and tranquility that we so miss at home in Moscow.

Bolzano/Bozen.

We went to Bolzano the day after our arrival. We decided that we would go by car to the railway station in the village of Waidbruck / Ponte Gardena, and then by regional train (something like our electric train) to Bolzano.

Widebrook is a very tiny village. Its area is only two square kilometers and about two hundred people live in it. But there is also its own attraction - one of the most magnificent and famous castles in South Tyrol - Trostburg Castle.

As if straight from the pages of a fairy tale about Sleeping Beauty, it towers over the village. The history of the castle dates back to the 12th century (1173). It got its name from its owner, Konrad von Trostberg. In 1290, the castle came into the possession of the Counts of Tyrol. Another famous medieval poet and composer, the last Minnesinger, Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445), grew up here. Over its centuries-old history, the castle has expanded significantly and acquired its current shape. Now there is a museum here.

Having reached the station, we found out that the next trains, for some reason, had been cancelled, and we went further to Bolzano by car.

South Tyrol is part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Bolzano is the capital and administrative center of the autonomous province. The city is surrounded by mountains and they form an integral part of the landscape.

The heart of Bolzano is Piazza Walther / Waltherplatz (Walther Square). It was named after that particular Walter von der Vogelweide, who was born and raised in the village of Layen. A monument to him was erected here. We have a curious incident associated with this area.

There is an underground parking lot under the square, and when we entered the city, we planned to leave the car there and go sightseeing. We drove, strictly following the signs leading to the central parking lot. I don’t know where and when we missed the turn sign, but we immediately taxied straight into the square. And it’s pedestrian! And here we are standing in the middle of the square, all of us so confused, the monument stands in front of us and looks at us with reproach, and the people around us with surprise. But everything ended well - my husband asked how to get to the parking lot, and we pulled out of the square.

An obligatory and main point in the program of a walk around Bolzano was the Archaeological Museum with its famous exhibit - the unique mummy of Father (or Frozen-Fritz). This is a guy who froze in the glaciers of the Alps more than 5,000 years ago. An arrowhead was found in his shoulder. He was probably ambushed by a hostile tribe and escaped, but lost a lot of blood and froze to death. Otzi was found in 1991 on the Similuan glacier.

Naturally, the first thing we did was go to the museum. The museum is really very interesting. It is small and inspection does not take very much time.

On the ground floor the mummy itself is presented in a special room where a certain temperature, humidity-dryness, etc. are maintained. You can look at it through a specially designed window. It also tells in great detail how the mummy was found, clothes and shoes (or what was left of it) are presented, and the results of some research are exhibited.

The second floor is a fully interactive exhibition. In one of the halls there is a large table-screen with an image of a mummy. Here, with the help of small additional screens, by moving them and selecting the desired mode, you can study the skeleton, muscles or skin of Father. Nearby there are microscopes where you can examine and compare something (I don’t quite understand what it is, but it seems like a piece of skin). There is also a corner, I called it “do it yourself”. Here you can try your hand at the art of restoring birch bark and weaving some ropes. You can also try on the outfit of a primitive man - a hat and part of a fur coat. Part - because the lower half of the fur coat exists, and the upper half is blue rubberized fabric with a white question on the back. Apparently, historians cannot agree on what it all looked like in reality.

On the third floor a restored image of Otzi is presented. Moreover, it was done so skillfully that you get the complete feeling that there is a living person in front of you! I even quickly disappeared into another room, afraid of getting hit on the head with a baton if Otzi suddenly came to life.

In general, judging by the museum’s brochure, there should also be exhibits from the periods from the Paleolithic to the early Middle Ages, but for some reason all the floors were occupied by an exhibition about Otzi. We are probably in the period of holding a full-scale thematic exhibition.

After leaving the museum, we went further to explore the city. We walked through the streets and reached Marecchio Castle (Castel Mareccio / Schloss Maretsch). The castle is located right in the city. A small, toy-like fortress is surrounded by vineyards. According to legend, the ghost of Clara, the daughter of one of the owners, who jumped out of the castle window because of unhappy love, still lives here.

The castle was founded by the founder of the Marec family, Berthold von Bozen, in 1194. In the 15th century, the Maric family died out, and the castle “went from hand to hand.” Currently there is a congress center here. We were unable to get inside.

From Marecchio Castle we walked to the Square of Herbs (piazza delle Erbe/ Obstplatz). This is one of the oldest squares in Bolzano. Vegetables and herbs were traded here eight centuries ago. The famous fruit and vegetable market is still open every day, except weekends and holidays. One of the decorations of the square is the Neptune Fountain. It was installed in 1777 on the site of the pillory. It's funny, but locals jokingly call Neptune "The Innkeeper with a Fork" because of the trident he holds in his hand.

Returning to Walter Square, we sat in a cafe, drank a cup of cappuccino, and cracked some ice cream. We tried coffee everywhere we went and it was great everywhere. The ice cream is also very tasty. It is sold in small family Gelateria, where it is produced.

We went to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As often happens, the cathedral that we see in front of us is not the first building. The oldest church was built on this site in the 4th century. Then in the 6th-7th centuries the building was rebuilt, and in the 11th-12th centuries a new building was erected in the Romanesque style. The cathedral acquired its appearance, which has survived to this day, in the 14th-16th centuries. The bell tower of the cathedral is especially noteworthy - all openwork and lace, built in the 16th century.

The castle is located on a high rocky outcrop near Bolzano and there is a fairly steep path leading to it from the shuttle stop. But we were lucky - a girl, a museum employee, was traveling with us to the castle, and we were taken with her to the castle itself. It was erected in 1237 on the site of ancient Roman fortifications. In 1385, it was purchased by local wealthy merchants, brothers Franz and Nikolaus Wintler, who turned the castle into an aristocratic residence. The castle underwent a large-scale reconstruction - new defensive walls appeared, a cistern was built to store water, as well as many other changes, including, for example, bathrooms.

In 1390, a “Summer House” was added, the walls of which were decorated with frescoes of popular literary subjects at that time - the story of Tristan and Isolde, the exploits of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and others. In addition to the “Summer House”, the rooms of the Western and Eastern palaces are also painted with frescoes. Unfortunately, some of the frescoes were irretrievably lost, because starting from the 16th century and in subsequent centuries, the castle repeatedly changed owners, exploded, burned, collapsed and went bankrupt. But how exciting it is to look at at least those that remain! Multicolored, somewhat naive and touching pictures. It depicts scenes of hunting, knightly tournaments and other social life of the inhabitants of the castle. You cannot take photographs inside the castle premises; you can only take pictures in the courtyard, in the covered gallery.

This ended our stay in Bolzano. To my deep regret, we did not get to many interesting places, for example, we did not take the funicular up to the Colle cliff (Colle/Kohlern) to look at the 12th century church, or did not admire the views in the vicinity of the village of Jenesin (S.Genesio/Jenesien), where they love holidays very much.

The legendary mountaineer Messner Reinhold said the following about Bolzano: “For me, Bolzano is mountains that have turned into a city. Every move you make here opens up new horizons. You move forward and everything changes, you turn around and see new faces again. Different languages ​​are spoken here, and the “heart” of the city - like an actor - can charm and contradict, be arrogant and attractive, welcoming and insensitive.”

But something didn’t work out between me and Bolzano. I didn't feel it. I think we made a mistake - we got busy with sightseeing, but in Bolzano, like in any other city, you need to walk slowly, enjoying the views, and then, probably, you can understand its soul, hear its heartbeat, feel its breath and , maybe even love him. During the few hours that we spent in the city, I was not able to do this. We'll have to come again...

Klausen/ Chiusa.

Not far from Layen is the charming town of Clausen. Tanya took us there so we could try the best pizza in the whole area. We left the car in the free parking lot and went for a walk around the city.

By the way, about parking. In Italy, free parking lots are marked in white. Sometimes it is indicated how long you can “stand” for free. If the parking lot is marked in blue, it is paid and there is a payment machine lurking somewhere nearby. We did not contact such parking. If we used paid parking, it was underground. The payment there is hourly - as long as you stand, you pay that much. Well, if the parking lot is marked yellow, then God forbid you park there, unless, of course, you are disabled.

And so, Clausen. The city got its name from the bottleneck between the Sabiona rock and the Isarco river, and translated from German it means gorge or mountain pass. The first mention of Mount Sabiona dates back to 547-577. At that time there was already a center of the bishopric of Säben (Seben). Although there is said to be evidence of an earlier mention. It is connected with a certain Lucanus, one of the bishops of Säben. The story is this: during a famine, he allowed poor people to eat dairy dishes, despite fasting, and he had to justify himself to the Pope. As a result, he was expelled from the episcopal see and sent to Agordia (diocese of Belluno). Lucanus died in the 5th century.

In 975, the episcopal see was moved to Bressanone, and the fortress received secular administrators, but at the same time retained the privileges and role of a religious center and continued to attract many pilgrims.

The name Klausen itself was first mentioned in 1027 as a customs post near the fortress, and in 1308 as a city. Clausen's heyday was between 1350 and 1550. In the 16th century, a fire destroyed part of the buildings and fortifications in the fortress, and it lost its significance as a religious center. Along with the fortress, the city began to decline. But it was decided to found a Benedictine nunnery in the fortress, and for more than 300 years the mountain and fortress have been in the possession of the Benedictine order.

The city comes to life again, and with the opening of the railway in 1867, artists begin to flock here, attracted by the news of the discovery of the birthplace of Walter von der Vogelweide. But already several centuries earlier the city was an arena of intense artistic activity. It is believed that Albrecht Dürer stayed here in 1494 during his trip to Italy.

The town is really very pleasant - kind of homely, or something. Some houses in the city were built back in the 15th-16th centuries. On the first floors there are beautifully decorated shop windows. The walls of many houses are colorfully painted, and there are always flowers on the balconies. The romantic little South Tyrolean town captured my heart.

After walking along the narrow picturesque streets of Klausen, we set off to our goal - to eat pizza. And we went to the amazing Torgglkeller restaurant.

Concept: Tavern + Brewery
Character: Cozy living room
Program: Sometimes Live Music
Beer: Light + Dark + Wheat + Seasonal

The restaurant is very impressive. At the entrance, the water flow turns a wooden mill wheel. The halls are interestingly decorated - there is a Knight's Hall, a Wine Cellar, a Village Tavern, but the highlight, in my opinion, are three large wine barrels in which there are tables and benches. We occupied one of these barrels. The inside of the barrel is completely painted with examples of “folk art” - some visitors left their autographs. Something like “Kisa and Osya were here,” only in German and Italian.

The huge pizza with thin crispy dough turned out to be incredibly tasty. I tried it with my husband, because... I ordered a calzone for myself. We also took beer - the restaurant has its own brewery. The prices seemed to me to be moderate. Four pizzas (we ate two there, ordered two to take with us), a calzone, two beers and a bottle of mineral water cost us 53 euros - I don’t think that’s incredibly expensive.

Brixen/Bressanone.

Brixen is one of the oldest cities in South Tyrol. According to official data, the date of its foundation is 901, but in one of the chronicles it is mentioned as early as 828 under the name Pressena. It was here that the episcopal throne of Sabiona was moved in 975.

From 1027 to 1803 Brixen was the center of a large ecclesiastical principality, and its bishop-princes ruled over most of South Tyrol. In the Middle Ages the city flourished and was a cultural and spiritual center.

The first thing that attracts attention when entering the old part of the city is a small garden bordering the Bishop's Palace. Gravel paths divide the space with clear lines; in the flower beds, flowers coexist with cabbage, lettuce and other vegetables; at the intersections of the paths there are large clay pots with limes growing in them. There are benches for relaxation along the perimeter of the garden.

As I already wrote, the kindergarten is adjacent to the Bishop's Palace. The palace building was built in the 13th century. Currently, the Diocesan Museum is located here. Of course, we couldn’t pass by and, although we didn’t have much time, we went to the museum. I didn’t even expect what a gorgeous collection of church treasures there is! Here is a unique collection of medieval religious wooden sculpture and painting. Exhibits from the 11th century are on display. There is a separate insert of Christmas nativity compositions, but we didn’t go there anymore. I highly recommend the museum.

One of the main attractions of Brixen is the Cathedral. The cathedral was originally built in the 10th century, but in 1174 the building burned down and a new one was built on the site of the destroyed church. After this, the cathedral burned and was destroyed several more times, and the cathedral acquired the appearance that we can see now in 1745-1754. It was painted by famous Italian and Austrian artists of the 18th century. It is interesting that at the end of the 19th century the paintings were plastered over and restored only at the end of the 20th century.

The Church of St. Michael is adjacent to the Cathedral. The church was built in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 15th century.

Between the two cathedrals there is a small courtyard and a covered gallery. In the gallery we were interested in the bas-reliefs. We asked grandfather, who works in the yard, about them, but he couldn’t tell us anything about them. As a result, we assumed that these were tombstones found, for example, during excavations.

On the other side, another covered gallery with amazing frescoes of the 14th-15th centuries adjoins the Cathedral. This gallery is part of an old monastery, probably built in 1200. The frescoes were painted by different artists and represent illustrations of the Bible and the Old Testament. The gallery forms a courtyard, and on the other side of the courtyard there is a music school. And while we were looking at the frescoes, some ancient melody was heard from the open window of the school, creating absolute harmony between what we saw and what we heard. Another door from the courtyard leads to the Chapel of St. John, the frescoes of which date from the early 11th century, but it was closed at that time.

After wandering around the streets of Brixen a little more and even sitting in a cafe with a glass of cocktail, we went to the Novacella Monastery (Abbazia di Novacella; Kloster Neustift), which is sometimes called the “eighth wonder of the world.”

The monastery is located approximately three kilometers from the city. It was founded in 1142 by the Augustinian monk Hartmann. Throughout its centuries-old history, the monastery has been engaged in educational activities and training of the younger generation. There is a secondary school here, and since 1970 a boarding school for boys has been opened. The Abbey has a large library, containing 65,000 volumes, not including manuscripts.

The monastery is surrounded by vineyards and orchards. The main occupation of the monastery's inhabitants is the production of wine, honey and the procurement of medicinal plants. Wine from Novacelle is known in many countries around the world, and the monastery itself is part of the famous “wine road” of South Tyrol.

There are many buildings from different eras on the territory of the abbey. We were especially interested in the Chapel of St. Michael. It is also called “Angel’s Castle”. The chapel really looks like a castle. You can walk around the territory completely freely, but if you want to get to know the monastery buildings and gardens better, you can only do this with a guide. Excursions are held at a certain time, and we did not fit into it. There is a shop at the abbey where you can buy wine and food, as well as cosmetics made from medicinal herbs of the monastery.

Before leaving Brixen we stopped at the supermarket to buy olive oil. Next to the supermarket there was a familiar OBI store, but unlike ours, this one was incredibly small. We were very surprised by this, but a friend explained that large stores cannot be built in South Tyrol, otherwise it will be difficult for small stores to compete with shopping monsters. This is how they care about small businesses.

St. Ulrich/ Ortisei.

Returning from the Passo Sella pass, we stopped in the town of St. Ulrich. This town is located at an altitude of 1326 m. The main population here is Ladins.

Walking through the towns of South Tyrol, you always feel as if you are in one of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. St. Ulrich is perhaps the most fabulous of them all. It would seem the same houses with balconies decorated with flowers, cobbled streets, cute shops. But everything is somehow brighter, “glossy”, like on the cover of an advertising booklet. And no wonder. After all, this is one of the most respectable resorts in South Tyrol. A large number of ski lovers come here during the season, and everything here is geared towards them. The town has many hotels and souvenir shops. By the way, their prices are much higher compared, for example, with Clausen.

The central street of the town is pedestrian and decorated with all kinds of fountains and interesting installations. Particularly touching is the sculptural composition depicting two little boys playing in a fountain.

The city is simply replete with interesting sculptures carved from wood. After all, St. Ulrich became famous not only for its picturesque surroundings, but also for its wood craftsmen. In local shops, in addition to traditional goods, you can purchase original works of art made by their own hands. There is even a museum of wooden sculpture in the city.

In addition to the museum of wooden art, you can visit Cësa di Ladins, which displays objects of culture and everyday life of the Ladins. One of the museum's attractions is the collection of antique wooden toys. Unfortunately, I learned about the museum much later, after arriving home. But next time we will definitely go there.

After all, we must see this fairy tale in winter.

Other parts of the story:

Province of South Tyrol - information about hotels, cities, main attractions of the region. Photos and reviews from tourists who visited South Tyrol.

Province of South Tyrol is an autonomous province in the region of northern Italy in the Alps. In each language, the region has its own name, the Germans and Austrians call it Bozen or Südtirol, and the Italians call it Trentino-Alto Adige. In these places, the stories of several European peoples intersected at once - German, Italian and Austrian, each of which at one time fought for dominance. As a result, a Solomonic decision was made - the region is endowed with autonomous rights and is part of the Italian state, but the overwhelming majority of the population speaks German - 70%. Both languages ​​are considered official, so all inscriptions, road signs and street names are duplicated here. South Tyrol and are the only provinces where this phenomenon can be observed. The indigenous people of these lands are considered to be Ladins - descendants of the Rhets, Romanized by the Romans in the first centuries of our era, who prefer to speak their native language - Ladin. The total number of Ladins is 30-35 thousand people.

In addition to cultural attractions represented by numerous castles, abbeys and monasteries, this region is among the top tourist attractions. The country's largest national landscape park, Stelvio, occupies a special place. Picturesque lakes and meadows, bordered by a mountain range, create a most picturesque landscape. The slopes here are dotted with ski resorts. The world-famous Dolomites, on the very border with Austria, are a favorite destination for ski and snowboard fans from all over the world.

The Dolomites are a mountain range in northern Italy. This is a world-famous and popular holiday destination; there are numerous ski resorts here, including Cortina d’Ampezzo, Ortisei, Rocca Pietore, Alleghe, Auronzo Cadore, Falcade. In the vicinity of the Alpine peaks, the regional administrative centers of several provinces at once - (South Tyrol) and Belluno - spread out their streets.

Administrative division

South Tyrol is administratively divided into 8 districts. Among them are Bolzano, Burgraviate, the Isaac River Valley - a district famous for its untouched nature, the Pusteria Valley - a paradise for skiers and Venosta - a high mountain valley, ideal for a summer ski holiday.

How to get there

What to do in South Tyrol?

Stelvio, the largest landscape park in Italy, was founded here back in 1935. The park attracts with its richness of flora and fauna, as well as its pristine virginity. The closest major city to the park is Trento.

In order to get acquainted with the cultural and architectural diversity of the province, you should not avoid Bolzano itself, here are the Abbey of Muri-Gris and the famous Church of St. Augustine - Bolzano's oldest attractions. To get acquainted with the architecture, visit the city and Brunico. South Tyrol's monasteries and abbeys are scattered throughout its territory. The medieval Abbey of Marienberg, also known as Monte Maria, is located in the town of Mals. Within the walls of the Novacella Abbey near Bressanone, various educational institutions have been located for many years. Today it houses the local high school.

Bolzano and nearby cities host magnificent events.

Medieval castles

Castles deserve special attention from tourists. One of the oldest castles, Sigmundskron, is located 6 kilometers from Bolzano and is considered a symbol of South Tyrol (Alto Adige). Its location gives it a special charm - the castle stands on a hill on the banks of a mountain river. Another medieval beauty - Fontana Castle or Brunnenburg - is located a little further, 35 kilometers from the capital. It was erected in 1241. In 1889, the mayor of Tyrol received Archduke Franz Ferdinand here, whose assassination 25 years later became the reason for the outbreak of the First World War. Another Klebenstein castle is located in Bolzano itself, along with the castles Marec, Rafenstein and Runkelstein.

Non-tourist Italy – South Tyrol, Brixen

Italy, in the minds of most tourists, is certainly the Roman Colosseum, the canals of Venice and shopping in Milan. I want to tell you about a completely different non-tourist and unknown Italy - northern, alpine, German-speaking - the province of Bolzano. These Tyrolean lands were under Habsburg rule for centuries, and only after the First World War were annexed to Italy. The local population still speaks German and ignores the official Italian names of their cities.

How to get to Brixen?
The easiest way to get to South Tyrol from Russia is by plane to Munich, and then by direct train, across two borders. You can also fly to Innsbruck or Verona and from there get to Brixen, however, direct flights to these cities from Russia do not happen often.

Road to Brixen

Province of Bolzano
We came to this amazingly picturesque region almost by accident - in May 2014, the international felt festival FeltRosa took place here, which is organized every year by Italian felt makers. The center of the felting festival was the small town of Brixen (Italian name is Bressanone), and for a whole week we were immersed in the living history of medieval Catholicism in Italy.

Sights of Brixen
The fact is that Brixen has been the main residence of the bishops of Tyrol since the 13th century; only in 1973 this honor was given to the provincial capital, the city of Bozen. But even today the main attraction of Brixen is Bishop's Palace. The three-story building, built during the Renaissance (baroque elements were added in later centuries), now houses a rich and unexpectedly interesting museum. I will tell you more about it, as well as about other museums in this region, in my next notes... For now, you can read about the Archaeological Museum in Bolzano.

Near the Bishop's Palace there is Brixen main cathedral- the current church of St. Mikhail. On days of veneration of local saints, the modern Bishop of Tyrol holds services there.

In honor of the arrival of such an important church figure, the city organizes a solemn procession of delegations from communities, parishes, monasteries, villages - and even schools and organizations. Almost the entire population of the city, in traditional Tyrolean costumes, takes part in the holiday.

The historical part of the city looks very picturesque - perfectly preserved houses built in the 1600s, narrow streets paved with stones. The banks of the city's two rivers, the Eisatz and the Reinza, are decorated with ancient trees and a variety of flowers, and at the point of their confluence, the difference between the color of the two waters is clearly visible. And of course, from anywhere in the city there is a stunning view of the surrounding Dolomites.

Cafe interiors

There are cafes, restaurants and pizzerias at almost every turn in the center of Brixen. The interiors of these establishments are much more interesting than the outdoor tables under awnings, because they are located in old houses with the appropriate surroundings.

The menu of every restaurant necessarily includes dishes of local Tyrolean cuisine, hearty and quite heavy, although you can always order something light, Mediterranean. The list of desserts includes strudel, as the local recipe for this pastry is considered classic and exemplary.

If in winter the main contingent of vacationers in South Tyrol are skiers, then in early spring lovers of bicycles, mountain walks and clean air come here. By bus or funicular (and for especially trained people - by bicycle) you can rise to an altitude above 1000 m above sea level and drink beer, local wine or herbal tea in a small cafe in some mountain village.

From Brixen you can easily reach Bolzano by train, a city full of museums, medieval fortresses and modern shops. If desired, we could go north to Innsbruck in Austria or Fussen in Germany, but we couldn’t leave our main event for such a trip (yes, yes, Feltroza, you haven’t forgotten about it?)). The festival went well, the German organization slightly polished the usual Italian carelessness. Even ignorance of both languages ​​did not prevent the Russian delegation from being in the very center of events.

Yes, of course, Brixen is not a place of noisy parties, not a shopping mecca, but the owners of local hotels admit that every year more and more Russians come here who value peace, tranquility and the beauty of nature.

Novacella Abbey Brixen Italy

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