South Tyrol: One small province, plenty of variety
Curiosities, Culture and News
South Tyrol fascinates with its charming contrasts and opposites.
It is the land where new things emerge from the old and innovation from the new: Imposing castles and palaces characterise the region just as much as eye-catching modern architecture. The South Tyroleans know better than anyone how to preserve their rich cultural heritage and at the same time be open to contemporary interpretations. The integration of the buildings into the surrounding landscape is just as important as the use of local materials.
Baroque splendour behind 365 windows: Wolfsthurn Castle sits enthroned on a hill above Mareit near Sterzing and has housed the South Tyrolean Regional Museum of Hunting and Fishing since 1996. In the originally furnished state rooms of the Baroque complex, there is a rich cultural-historical collection to discover. The minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein grew up in the impressive Trostburg. Today, the castle high above the Eisacktal valley village of Waidbruck is home to the South Tyrolean Castle Museum. The medieval gem has one of the oldest round rooms. Churburg Castle is considered the best-preserved castle complex in South Tyrol, with the largest private armoury in the world. It enjoys a worldwide reputation and can be described as the most important dynastic "wardrobe". Rodenegg Castle towers mightily over the Rienz Gorge. It is one of the largest fortified castles in South Tyrol - the famous frescoes tell the legend of Iwein and are considered the earliest secular wall paintings in the German-speaking countries. With frescoes by Michael Pacher and a "ghost room", Taufers Castle in Sand in Taufers also attracts numerous visitors every year.
South Tyrol also has a lot to offer culturally, such as the annual Gustav Mahler Music Weeks in Toblach. From 1908 to 1910, the composer spent the summer months in this town in the Dolomites and wrote his last three symphonies here. The festival in honour of Gustav Mahler will take place from 9 to 22 July 2022. The inspiring spa town of Merano will be the stage for high-quality musical events and concert series during the südtirol festival merano . meran from 16 August to 21 September 2022.
The new association of excellent historic South Tyrolean hotels and inns sees itself as an ambassador of timeless hospitality. Each of the historic houses of Historic South Tyrol is unique; they are all committed to preserving historical authenticity and architectural significance. At the same time, the historic walls are to be filled with life and new stories.
In the heart of Bolzano, a cosy bistro and five stylishly designed flats await visitors within historic walls. In the Bogen Bistro & Apartments, historical buildings are combined with contemporary design to create a charming contrast. During the renovation of the Tschafon Hut between the Seiser Alm, the Schlern and the Rosengarten, the focus was particularly on sustainability, the authenticity of materials and construction, as well as the preservation of the unique atmosphere. The Santnerpass Hut, built in 1956, is located at 2734 metres on the western flank of the Rosengarten. After being closed for a long time, it is being rebuilt in several phases by the architects Senoner e Tammerle. A first part will already be accessible this mountain season, while in 2023 the new Santnerpass Hut will be completely renovated.
But there is also new architecture in South Tyrol: in Bolzano, for example, the Hotel La Briosa is under construction, an innovative project that is intended to be a model for progressive green building. In Innichen, the Atto Suites will open in spring 2022 - their architecture is monolithic, the interior design warm and reduced to the essentials. Near Brixen, the Hotel Santre will also open this spring at the foot of the Plose. The three (tre) brothers want to write holiday history as hoteliers in their home town of St. Andrä (San). This is how the name for their hotel with its sun-drenched suites came about. The Refuge Stettiner Hütte was destroyed by an avalanche and is now being rebuilt - the new refuge is expected to open in summer 2022. Already in December 2021, the Pescosta Chalet Luxury Living in St. Vigil/Enneberg was opened as Klimahaus Nature, a certification on energy efficiency. The Koasa farm in the Ahrntal valley is an architectural eye-catcher in the shape of a pentagon - every stone, every piece of wood, even the cement has been carefully studied here. So much more than a holiday in a farmhouse.