Kultura a památky - Klausen, Barbian, Feldthurns & Villanders

In 1726 a little church was dedicated to the miners of the “Pfunderer” mine. However, it was immediately too small so that today’s construction of the Early Baroque with choir and little tower was built in 1736. The secluded little church was expanded in 1934, though plundered and devastated in 1964. Until the First Wold War there had have been a weekly mass, initially Saturdays, since 1840 every Thursday. The cultural and historical altarpiece is a replica, the original altarpiece is located in the parish church to the St. Stephen. It shows the miners at work and around them the saints of the miners. (St. Daniel, evangelist John, Virgin Mother with the baby Jesus and her mother the saint Anne, as well as patron saint of the mines Barbara)

The first rituals held at this site, where the little church has overlooked its wonderful views since 1743, probably date back to prehistoric times, although we cannot be sure of when exactly it was that people began to discover the unique aura of this place.
One thing is for sure: the road to the Latzfons Cross (2,311m), highest pilgrimage site in South Tyrol and erected on the south face of the Kassian Peak, is the oldest pilgrimage trail in South Tyrol.

The mountain refuge hut, close to the church at an elevation of 2,305m, has provided countless pilgrims and hikers with refuge and sanctuary over the years. Innumerable wonderful tales have been told about this sacred place, such as the legend of the “Black Christ” who, with a nod of his head, decided on the spot where the crucifix should be erected. Prayers sent up from here at the end of the pilgrimage, about an hour’s walk up a fairly steep road from the Klausen hut to the cross, afford protection to one and all, particularly from the wrath of the elements.

The view stretches over to the Langkofel, the Grohmann Peak, the Kesselkogel and the Rosengarten. It is not just the view that makes this place special though, but the atmosphere which pervades the site and can be felt instinctively by all those who come here.

The City of Artists and Albrecht Dürer
The medieval city, which is surpassed in height by the mighty Sabiona Monastery mountain, proudly calls itself the "City of Dürer." Here, where the city was the scene of intense artistic activity just a hundred years ago, is where Albrecht Dürer stopped during his journey through Italy. He exploited his portrait of the city as a background for an allegorical copper-plate engraving titled "Das Grosse Glück" ("Nemesis").

Today, Klausen is still numbered among the most-beautiful of Italy's ancient cities: Its tower-studded facades, its wide alcove balconies, and the picturesque signs of its old inns and pubs were all that was needed to convince the club "I borghi più belli d'Italia" of its worthiness. And the "Treasure of Loreto" (a singular collection of works of art) in the city museum has got to be seen to be believed.

Length: 3,8 km Difficulty: Medium Duration: 1.10 hours ascent. 180 m in altitude Itinerary: From the scrap mill in Schrambach slightly uphill through mixed forest to the Mediterranean Schrambacher Wallserfall back to the starting point. Special round trip for spring and autumn. You can also continue to Loatererhof -Buschenschank - Refreshments (autumn to march).

An alley leads to the church between the Steinbock inn and the village smith. The alley is called “Defregger-alley” due to the fact that the history painter Franz von Defregger (1835-1921) used this idyllic subject as a background for his famous painting “Das letzte Aufgebot – the last array”. This alley, which depicts the ensemble of both churches and the cemetery, was left unchanged in the last 500 years.

One wrote the year 1494 as the young artist ALBRECHT DÜRER made a stop in Klausen during his Italy journey. Today a beautiful walk leads to these slopes from Klausen. From this promising place the painter drew the city of Klausen. The result of its feather was lost later, but a copper engraving "Das große Glück" ( the great fortune) is delivered: Klausen calls itself also the "Small Dürer Town": Who wants to visit this place, goes today to the "Dürerstein".

The gothical building was established between 1467 and 1470 of master Jörg. From the outside on recognize the simple portal, the small pyramid-shaped ridge turret and that gothical five-eighth choir with the four windows.

The Plunacker Archeoparc is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Alps. The settlement remains span from the Mesolithic period to the Neolithic period, from the bronze age to the Roman period. That is a time span of about 7,000 years! The main attractions are certainly the extensive Roman and mediaeval remains of buildings.

It was discovered by chance in 1976 during excavation work, and during the 80s various buildings were gradually uncovered. The Villanders Archeoparc now covers an area of approx. 1,600 m². There is a permanent exhibit next to it with amphoras and many other discoveries.

Guided tours are also possible outside the opening hours.
Further information: Tel. +39 3355474663 or e-mail: mari.erlacher@gmail.com.

The village museum gives you an interesting view of the rural life in South Tyrol. The Gufidaun village museum has three main collections: the everyday rural culture, the crafts and the local art. The museum houses an original "soot kitchen" and various pieces of rural furniture and everyday objects, which are arranged into ensembles. A complete cobbler's workshop provides an insight into the versatility of this old craft. A special feature of the museum is the Telfner corner. The painter Josef Telfner, originally from Meran, lived in Gufidaun for many years. He painted watercolours with various views of the village and portrayed numerous people from Gudon.

On request visits possible all year round: tel. +39 0472 847 399 or +39 348 7747339 (Otto Schenk)

The parish church exhibits worth seeing works: the high altar from 1884, side altars from 1903, the pulpit from 1867 and the Queen of the Rosary from the Baroque period around 1700. A high artistic value has also the oil painting of Franz Sebald Unterberger which represents the St. Stephen, as well as the glass painting with the subject of the miners of Villandro in 1520.

The mountain mine in Villanders was one of the most important mining areas in Tyrol during the Middle Ages and is now one of the few mines in South Tyrol that is open to the public as a visitors ‘attraction. Explore the labyrinth of tunnels and immerse yourself in the fascinating mining history of Villanders, which goes back centuries.
The Villanders mine had a total of 16 tunnels covering an area of about 20 km, two-thirds of which were dug by hand and one-third with the use of explosives (black powder).
The extracted materials were: silver, lead (galena), copper and blende. The advancement of a miner, between 8 and 12 m per year, was performed mainly on his knees or supine. At the discovery of a mineral deposit of greater size it was necessary to enlarge the tunnel for the transport of minerals and waste rock. The average life of a miner was between 35 and 40 years.

Opening hours:

TUNNEL ELISABETH
Guided tour
- Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
- Sunday at 10:30
- Meeting point at the tunnel Elisabeth
- Duration: approx. 1,5 h

ELISABETH AND LORENZ TUNNELS
Guided tours
- in July & August on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
- Meeting point at the tunnel Elisabeth
- Duration: approx. 2,5 h
- In the months of July and August there is also a guidance on Wednesday at 10:30.

More information about the Silver Mine: https://bergwerk.it/

The St. Michael’s Church plays a relevant part in contributing to the scenic appearance of the village. The construction is located nearby the main church of Villandro and was dedicated in 1344. Nowadays, the almost quadratic basement of the church acts as a funeral chapel. Sanct Michael, who is the patron saint of the dead, stands sentinel over the cemetery. The cemetery of Villandro represents one of the most beautiful and unusual cemeteries in the region. There are exclusively forged grave crosses and the front side of the grave crosses is averted from the burial grave.

The gothical building was established between 1467 and 1470 of master Jörg. From the outside on recognize the simple portal, the small pyramid-shaped ridge turret and that gothical five-eighth choir with the four windows. Inside the church you can find some informations about the building history and the artistic equipment.

Brown, marshy ground surrounds the three Schwarzseen (black lakes), which lie below the Toten. All around you can admire the abandoned mines with galleries and slagheaps, and the imposing peak of Villanderer Berg rising into the sky. The single lakes of the black-lakes-formation are called black, white and blue lake.

The St. Laurentius church (Gothic with Romanesque nave walls) stands at the heart of the village. It was built between 1286 and 1295 and extended in around 1400. The tower was not built until the 16th century and was not given secure enough foundations – so Feldthurns has its very own "leaning tower"!

The little church of the saint Mauritius in Sauders is situated to the south of the village centre. The church was mentioned the first time in an official document in 1406. Around 1670 the little church was converted in a baroque style. However, the church and some surrounding houses were burned to ashes by the French in 1793. Nowadays, the painting at the high altar represents the patron saint of the church. The key for a visit can be received at the “Winklerhof – farm”.

This fortress was built around 1250. After the fire in the year 1671 the lock remained a ruin, until it was bought and rebuilt in the year 1895 by the well-known castle friend Dr. Otto Piper. An inspection is not possible, since the lock is inhabited by a family from Klausen.

Castel Velthurns is a unique historical building. It was built in 1580 as the summer residence of the prince-bishop of Bressanone, Johann Thomas von Spaur. Its uniqueness lies not so much in its architecture as in its furnishings. The ten rooms are decorated with wood panelling and wall paintings, making Castel Velthurns one of the best preserved Renaissance residences in the Alps. In the past, the residence also housed an aviary and a deer park.

This elegant complex was carefully restored in 1979/83.

The interior of Velthurns Castle reflects the quality of upscale representation of the late 16th century. It is a master example of a well thought-out interior design. In the wall paintings and paneling, the claim of a humanistically influenced variety of themes is visible. Special exhibitions in the Schreiberhaus complement the activities of Velthurns Castle.

In 1978 it became the property of the Province of South Tyrol and was renovated in 1979. On the first floor, the castle houses an archaeological museum with finds from Feldthurns and the central Eisack Valley.

On the ground floor, the castle houses an archaeological museum with finds from Feldthurns and the central Eisack Valley. In addition to the permanent exhibition with finds from Feldthurns, temporary exhibitions are held on a regular basis.

The castle was build in the 14th century. The lock was seat of the former court of Gufidaun. 1880 the well-known Germanist Ignaz Zingerle bought the expanded castle plant and today she is still inhabited by its descendants and cannot be visited.

The lake Totensee, literally "lake of death" is less threatening than its name suggests.

The lake is located in a hollow below the well-known Chapple Totenkirchl. Surrounded by boulders and meadows, it is situated at an altitude of 2200 m. The macabre name comes from the agricultural expression "dead", which can be interpreted as unprofitable.

The church belonging to the parish Lazfons, once a Roman, was in the 15th Century Gothic style and received its present from in the 17th Century.

The parish church of Barbian is consecrated to St. Jacobs the Elder and was first mentioned in 1378. The shapes of the windows of the leaning tower are evidence to an even earlier time. Its octagonal top was added during the 15th Century. During this time, the church was renovated and once more consecrated in 1472. In 1874, the nave was re-designed and received in a new-roman form. The vestry, which serves as choir stalls, is the only part left, to represent the old gothic buildings. On the inside of the church, on the main altar, there is a copy of the famous crucifixion group by Wechselburg, as well as 12 glass windows representing the apostles, a rosette window just above the main entrance and several wooden sculptures from the 16th and 17th Centuries.

Open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Holy Mass: To Sunday 03/16/2014 at 10.00 clock, alternately at 8:00 clock (german) and Saturday at 19:30 clock (german).

The impressive castle stands above Waidbruck/Ponte Gardena. Interesting interior, patly with original furniture. An exhibition shows the life of Oswald von Wolkenstein

Trostburg is open to the public

from the Thursday before Easter until the end of October. A visit is only possible with a guided tour.  Trostburg is closed on Mondays.

 

Season Start of the tour     Thursday before Eastern until end of June 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. July and August 11 a.m., 12 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. September until end of October 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.   The guided visit through the castle takes around 40 – 50 minutes.
For the unguided visit of the exhibition rooms one should plan for approximately 15 minutes, although a stay up to 40 minutes is considered to be very informative and worth it.

The sun terrace of Velturno has been visited and populated for more than 7000 years. As the excavation of the Tanzgasse showed, the area was of particular significance during the late Copper Age, around the 3rd Millennium BC: the megalithic structure, which formed the central part of this place of worship with its grave mounds, stretches across the visible area of the Archeoparc. The standing stones that were found within this place of worship offer the chance to place the rest of the megalithic findings within the South Tyrol into a monumental context and to interpret their historical significance. The results of the analyses of the often small plant and animal remnants, but also of non-organic matter, open up insights into everyday prehistoric life.

The Cantina Valle Isarco was founded in 1961. The simple production hall originally built in 1978 was restructured in 2005 in order to separate the operational functions and to give the building an appropriate new appearance. The new part of the building made of concrete and the remaining structure were brought together by a unifying grey-red plaster shell, which symbolizes the connection to the terroir. Many steel components were given an oxide red shading, a color chosen to make the building look like a stone that has risen up amongst the vineyards. A brick ceiling now covers the barrique cellar, and the walls are covered in clay plaster. The offices and meeting rooms were renovated and refurnished; bright colors now accentuate the rooms. To round this all off, the tasting and sales room was redesigned in 2014, and an educational exhibit on wine was added as well.

Another important attraction was not created by builders but by nature: the Barbian waterfalls. The Ganderbach (stream), which is near Kollmann and flows into the Eisack river, which has a length of almost 6 kilometres. At the point of 1,510 metres above sea level, the stream falls over several rock cliffs down into the valley. The lower part of the waterfall with his 85 metres is the highest of the waterfalls at Barbian. From here, you can reach the upper part of the waterfall on a marked, wild and romantic path.

The art collection of the Museum of Klausen/Chiusa is located in the former Capuchin monastery. The entire first floor of the museum is dedicated to the famous Treasure of Loreto that forms the most important part of the museum. The Treasure of Loreto goes back to an endowment around 1700 by Queen Maria Anna of Spain (1667-1740) in response to a request by her confessor, Father Gabriel Pontifeser.
Another key aspect of our permanent exhibition is the Klausner Art Colony (1874-1914) with its well-known representative Alexander Koester.
The tour through the museum includes also a visit to the baroque Capuchin church.

Temporary exhibitions

29.3. - 31.05.2025: Two special exhibitions at the City Museum

• “THE HUTTERITES”
  A search for traces in Chiusa
  Opening: Friday, 28.3.2025
• "PESC"
  Joint exhibition in collaboration with UNIKA
  Opening: Friday, 28.3.2025

14.6. - 16.8.2025: Two special exhibitions at the City Museum

• LOIS ANVIDALFAREI
  „Hoc est enim Corpus meum“
  Opening: 13.6.2025
• ERIC PERATHONER
  Art in the Old Town
  Opening: 13.6.2025

30.8. - 31.10.2025

Joint exhibition at the City Museum in collaboration with the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS OF VENICE
Duration: 30.8. – 31.10.2025
Opening: 29.8.2025

 

More information about the city museum: https://www.museumklausenchiusa.it/en/

The building consists of lightweight walls, which are lined with rough chestnut wood slats and girded by retaining walls and ceilings made of exposed concrete. The concrete slabs, formed using coarse plywood formwork, were skilfully embedded into the terrain so that the building is harmoniously nestled into the steep slope. The rooms for filling, packaging and maturation are located completely underground, which has an added advantageous cooling effect. The tasting and sales room is glazed floor to ceiling and the chestnut wood battens in front of the window provide a visible filter. Natural materials, such as clay plaster, black plate, slate floor and oiled wood, characterise the room. The sparse furnishings with bar tables and a service line help to keep the focus on the essentials - the wines. Light shines diffusely from above, yet into the room in a targeted manner. From the tasting room, small peepholes offer an insight into the "holy of holies," the vintage cellar. Here the best wines are matured and skilfully presented. The considerate care for the landscape and the selected natural materials also reflect Garlider's philosophy in the production of organic wines.

On the way to Säben is on the way, the St. Anthony Chapel, built in 1670 at the instigation of the telltale Jerome and his wife. The chapel was restored in the Tyrolean commemorative 1984. The altarpiece in the early Baroque high altar dates from Nicholas squint.

Wild stories are around the Radlsee. Is it actually connected underground to Lake Durnholzer and the Mediterranean? Is it really a wheel of devouring and gauntlet-bearing sea: