Activités spéciales des régions du Sud-Tyrol

Spread across 500 square metres, it offers a diverse programme featuring exhibitions, readings, performances, concerts, and more. But Kunsthaus Meran isn’t some lofty, exclusive space – it’s a welcoming meeting place for everyone: art lovers, locals, international visitors, and even those just passing by.

Since 2001, the art association Kunst Meran-Merano Arte has showcased contemporary art in all its forms here – visual arts, photography, architecture, new media, music, and literature. The aim? To amplify diverse perspectives, especially those that have been overlooked in traditional art history. There’s a special focus on female narratives and voices from the Global South.

The building itself is a fascinating blend of old and new: narrow, winding passageways, a nod to the structure’s historic past, contrast with sleek, modern interior design. Light floods through the glass ceiling, creating a bright, inviting space where you’ll want to linger.

A visit is always worthwhile – even if it’s just to soak up the unique atmosphere. You can also browse the museum shop for books and catalogues to take a piece of the experience home with you.

Whether you’re ready to dive deep into the artworks or simply looking for a little inspiration, Kunsthaus Merano welcomes you with open arms. Stop by, let yourself be surprised, and discover just how multifaceted contemporary art can be.

Admission fees
Adults € 7.00
Reduced fee € 5.00
Students up to age 26 € 2.00
Children up to age 14 free admission

Online guided tours
For groups of ten or more, Kunst Merano Arte offers guided tours of its current exhibitions in German and Italian by prior arrangement. To make arrangements, please contact info@kunstmeranoarte.org or call during the gallery's opening hours.

The mighty buildings of Castle Schenna just above the city of Meran are still partly surrounded by a moat. Using the bridge, you will come to the entrance of Castle Schenna and from there, if you pass the dungeon, you’ll arrive in the courtyard. An open staircase will lead you to the castle chambers. Castle Schenna in South Tyrol is open for guided tours. Only the wing containing the private rooms of the count’s family remains closed to the public. The halls and grand chambers are home to a painting and portrait gallery, a weapons collection, as well as numerous art-historic objects of Tyrolean history.

Guided tours:
Tuesday to Friday at 11.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. and every Monday and Thursday guided evening tours at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday closed.

Online registration required:
https://www.schloss-schenna.com/anmeldung-fuehrungen-831191.html

The Tramin Village Museum emphasizes winegrowing, agriculture, housekeeping and crafts in the Unterland region, a large Gewürztraminer exhibition as well as local customs such as the "Egetmann" carnival parade in Tramin and the new central theme "Living between North and South"

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 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.

Marienberg Abbey above Burgeis/ Burgusio dates back to the 12th Century. The highest located Benedictine abbey in Europe is situated at an altitude of 1,340 m a.s.l., since 900 years monks live here according to the rules of Saint Benedict of Nursia. Today, the main hall displays impressions about the daily life of the monks marked by Benedict's credo ora et labora. The exhibition displays also beautiful paintings such as the Romanesque Crypt frescoe with its unique depiction of angels.

Special exhibitions:

- Marienberg in front of and behind the lens
- Maria

Guided Tours
All information about guided tours and timetables can be found at https://www.marienberg.it/en/museum/guided-tours.html.

Easily accessible by the Piz Sorega to San Cassiano cable car, the Movimënt Bear Park is a place dedicated to the carefree and pure fun for children, with so many activities to discover and learn fun and interesting things about nature.

A real bear cave with games and trivia dedicated to this incredible animal that lives in our mountains lies just below the mountain station of Piz Sorega, discover its secrets, jump onto a soft carpet with your friends and hear a real bear roar! Outdoors in winter you'll find a very special mini-golf circuit, also dedicated to bears, a zip line, water games with wells and fountains, a special beehive shaped slide and lots of other games for children of all ages.

Still on the subject of bears, children can try to dig up the bones of the famous "Ursus Ladinicus", actually found in 1987 in a cave in the Conturines mountain.

The Piz Sorega park is also equipped with an area dedicated to movement and fitness, where you can have fun and develop your sports skills in complete safety. In addition, there's an artificial oasis with a water path, better known as a Kneipp path, and with a series of wooden channels where you can open and close the small dams to have fun together.

From the Bear Park at Piz Sorega you can quickly and easily reach the other Movimënt parks at Piz La Ila and Pralongià on foot or by e-bike.

The church of Barbian was built in the 13th century consecrated to the apostle and patron Saint Jacob. Today the only remaining of the old church is he bell tower. The church was constructed in a Romanesque style and in the year 1472 it obtained Gothic elements. In 1874 – 1877 the Neo-Romanesque nave was added to the Gothic main body (today’s sacristy). The inclination of the campanile is attributed to the different grounding on which the tower was built. The half on the downhill side lies on the unstable soil of the Central Uplands and the other half on solid quartz-phillite-rocks. Ing. Fulvio Pisetta carried out a mechanical intervention in 1985 – 1988 to assure the stability of the church tower. Height: 37,00 metres Inclination: 1,56 metres

Formations from the last ice age The earth pyramids are geological formations from the last ice age. Since then the red clayey ground slides away from the meadows and the forests and give life to the earth pyramids. The 'Margarethenbach' (a stream) originates here and flows into the Etschtal towards Siebeneich.

The Säben Mountain and its monastery deserve great attention for their archaeology, history, and art.

The artist Sonja Hofer from Klausen describes the fortress above Klausen as follows: "Sublime and striking, yet also slightly cold, the pale, pseudoromantic architecture of the monastery, marked by rigid symmetry, stands out starkly against the sky."

There is much to tell about the historically significant fortress above Klausen: Around the year 1000, the bishop’s seat was moved from Säben to Brixen. Until then, the Holy Cross Church served as the "Cathedral of the Diocese of Sabiona" for nearly 400 years.

The "Holy Mountain" is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in Tyrol, with the well-known Ladin Cloister first mentioned in 1503. For over 335 years, Benedictine nuns shaped the Holy Mountain before leaving the monastery in November 2021. Since September 7, 2024, a new era has begun under Father Kosmas Thielmann OCist: the Cistercians from Heiligenkreuz Abbey have breathed new life into the monastery. Their goal is to reestablish Säben as a spiritual center and significant pilgrimage destination in South Tyrol.

Daily Mass is celebrated at 11:30 a.m. in the monastery church.

With support from the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone and the local community, the monastery aims to provide a space for prayer and meditation, as well as a place for encounter and exchange. More Cistercian monks are expected to join, strengthening the monastic community and revitalizing Säben's centuries-old tradition.

In the fraction of Tartsch lies the mystical hill of Tartsch with its Romanesque little church of St. Veit. The hill of Tartsch is a special place to which a tangible magic has always been attributed. This is why this place is also described as a place of power in the Upper Vinschgau.
The hill of Tartsch was inhabited in prehistoric times and in antiquity. For archaeologists, this hill is considered the prehistoric center of the valley. An approximately 1.3-acre, now sunken settlement, was located here. Besides Roman coins, cup-marked stone and iron axes, a 2500-year old stag antler with Rhaetian inscription and the remains of a Rhaetian house from the 3rd or 4th century BC were found. In the interior of the hill, an unfinished WWII bunker, built between 1939-1942, was found.

A nature play in white marble! The Gilfenklamm is a gorge in pure white marble and stretches from the village Stange/Stanghe into the Ratschingstal/Val Racines to the hamlet of Jaufensteg/Ponte Giovo. Wooden bridges and runways lead through the canyon and give a spectacular sight to the waterfalls. The primordial power of the water is tangible with all senses. The gorge is protected as a natural monument and is known as one of the most beautiful natural attractions in the Alpine region.

The runways through the gorge were built in 1896 and just after a few years the unfolded magic attracted numerous visitors. Beetween the great world wars the bridges were left to decay, but were restored in the early 1960s, and have since become a must see of the Sterzing-Ratschings area. The hike through the gorge lasts nearly one hour (1,5 hours with return) and is worthwhile for nature lovers, families and seniors.

The Gilfenklamm gorge is situated in the Eisacktal/Alta Val d’Isarco valley, close to Ratschings/Racines and the city of Sterzing/Vipiteno. On an established trail you can walk across this charming and breathtaking canyon with its waterfalls cascading into the depth. About 100 years ago the gorge was named after the Austrian emperor Franz Josef, but its name changed so that it is now known as the “Cascate di Stanghe” gorge. During its course, the initially small Rio di Ratschings river turns into a roaring river which has been carving its way through the marble walls for centuries. Experience the forces of nature and the uniqueness of this fabulous natural monument.

No reservation is necessary. However, it is recommended to avoid the main visiting hours (between 10.00 am and 12.30pm).

The Vinschgau Valley is one of the most arid areas in the Alpine region. Sunnaseit (sunny side) and Nörderseit (northern side) have always shaped the valley, the people, the culture.

Discover the versatility of this unique valley and its long history in the Vuseum - 's Vintschger Museum, and then hike the prehistoric settlement of Ganglegg or the old watercourses Leitenwaal and Berkwaal.

 

Enjoy the Venosta Valley ...

Interactive design, films, and the “Waal” hike along the ancient irrigation canals past the prehistoric settlement of Ganglegg make the visit really exiting.

 

... Experience the Venosta Valley

 The exhibitions make visitors understand why the Venosta Valley is the way it is today and how the people in the Venosta Valley learned to deal with the harsh conditions over the millennia.

 

Archeology

The Ganglegg site on the hill above Sluderno/Schluderns is the best-researched fortified hilltop settlement of the Bronze, Iron and Roman ages in the entire Alpine region. Valuable original structures have been preserved and also two houses rebuilt in this archaeological park.

The Rhaetian people at the Ganglegg occupied a position of social pre-eminence in prehistoric times, evidenced by the numerous jewellery and weapon finds from large parts of Europe. Their own writing, the place of burnt offerings as the centre of ritual ceremonies in the Venosta Valley made the people a powerful and widely feared tribe.

 

Swabian children

The Venosta Valley was a bitterly poor valley because of its climate. People had to starve and fight for survival every day. Facing a period of poverty between the 17th and early 20th century, many parents in the Vinschgau Valley were forced to send their children on a difficult an exhausting march to Upper Swabia to find a place to stay and work . The exhibition explores why it could come to this point and describes the hard everyday life of these "Swabian children".

 

Travellers – The Korrnr

It was not the desire for freedom that made them take the cart, it was poverty at home that forced them to do so. Pulling the cart, many people from the Venosta Valley travelled across the countryside. They bought and sold goods, hired themselves out as harvest workers or tried begging. Many a family was living on the streets for years.

 

WasserWosser – Water for irrigating the crops

Since the Venostaalley is one of the most arid valleys in Europe, the invention of a sophisticated system of artificial irrigation canals was essential for agriculture. Visit the exhibition WasserWosser and discover interesting facts about the origins, the history and organisation of this local irrigation system that has proven its value for thousands of years, and the way it was used.

Guided tours
Guided tours take place every Wednesday.
German guided tour - 16:00
Italian guided tour - 17:00

The Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park, Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage since 2009, measures approx. 25,680 hectares and spreads across the municipalities of Badia and La Val in Alta Badia, Braies, Dobbiaco, Marebbe and Valdaora. The Dolomite high route no. 1 leads through the area of the Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park.

The mountains facing Val Pusteria valley form the park's northern, Val Badia valley its western boundary; in the south the Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park stretches all the way to South Tyrol's provincial border in the direction of Cortina and the Val di Landro valley marks its eastern boundary against the Dolomiti di Sesto. The steep, almost insurmountable rock faces protect a morphologically and scenically highly diverse, broad area of alpine pastures high plateaus.

The majority of Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park's area is covered by mountain pastures and meadows which are characterised by a unique variety of plant life. Leopard's bane, gentian, orchids, bistort and golden hawksbeard are commonly found. The vegetation zones range from mountain forests near the valleys to above 3,000 metres (9,842 ft). Fanes-Senes-Braies natura preserve's fauna is representative for the Dolomites.

The natural park's part in the Alta Badia area offers some particularly interesting zones:

• the Armentara-meadows, a small but highly diverse area with an impressive variety of species:
• the Counturines cave: Up to today, the cave located at 2,800 m (9,186 ft) above sea level, is the highest bear cave in the world. In 1987, a bear's fossilised bones, skull and teeth were found in this cave. Scientists discovered, that the remains belonged to a bear that had lived in the Austrian Alps around 50,000 years ago, called the Ladin bear (Ursus ladinicus);
• the Fanes high alpine pasture with its lithic amphitheatre known as the "Marmots' Parliament" is the setting of one of the prettiest of Ladin legends, the fairy tale "The Empire of the Fanes".

Contrary to Puez-Odle natural park, Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park explodes in colours, waters and life. In order to fully experience and understand its unique world and landscape, one must not just look at Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park from its boundaries.
One must hike in it, experience and get into contact with the area.

It is also called "the shining face of the Dolomites" because of the rich variety of its vegetation and landscapes, with steep cliffs rising at the edge of the Park and protecting a large area of pastures and colorful plateaus.

A hike through the Nature Park will take you to the mysterious places of the legend of the Kingdom of Fanes. The saga, which is considered the Ladin national epic poem, tells of the expansion of the mythical Fanes empire and its fall, of the princesses Moltina and Dolasilla, of the evil wizard Spina de Mul and of the fearless hero Ey de Net.

One of the seven nature parks in South Tyrol is the Trudner Horn/ Monte Corno Nature Park. It covers an area of 6,851 hectares and includes the municipalities of Truden/Trodena, Altrei/Anterivo, Montan/Montagna, Neumarkt/Egna, and Salorno/Salurn. It is bordered to the north by the foothills of the Val di Fiemme, to the southeast by the Val Cembra, and to the west by the Adige Valley between Neumarkt and the Salorno hermitage. It owes its name to the 1,781-meter-high Trudner Horn, a mountain of the Fiemme valley Alps. Due to its location and the sub-Mediterranean climate zone, the protected area offers the most species-rich flora and fauna of all South Tyrolean nature parks.

The most prominent artwork of Tramin and at the same time one of the finest masterpieces of Tyrolean art can be found in the small St. Jakob church situated on a hill above the village.

It contains a well- preserved Romanescue fresco cycle dating back to about 1220. The figures portrayedin the colourful frescoes are quite atypical in painting since they are usually represented as stone sculptures. In fact, on the walls of the small chancel you can admire bizarre hybrid creatures with both human an beastly attributes, fabulous figures emanating from the myths of medieval times. They all seem to represent the sinful antagonism of the overlying scenes showing a graceful depiction of the Twelve Apostels with the enthroned Crist in the Mandorla, the almond- shaped aureole.

The southern annex of the chapel contains yet another jewel: here the painter Ambrosius Gander executed some bright and valuable murals, amongst which the well-known legend of the Pilgrims. The inscription tells us that these paintings were completed 1441.

Above Schluderns in the sunny Vinschgau, towers the Churburg, one of the best preserved castles of South Tyrol. Today’s visitors find an impressive Renaissance castle, enhanced by the remarkable paintings in the arcades surrounding the courtyard. Many precious objects are to be seen in the Romanic chapel, the Matscher chamber and other splendid rooms. The world renowned armoury contains the largest collection of its kind. The harnesses, all made for members of the family, are of incomparable artistic and historic value.

Visits are only possible with a guided tour!
Guided tours in English on request: +39 0473 61 52 41

Churburg Castle is closed from the beginning of November to the end of March.

The Museum of Popular Culture is situated in a historical building under the arcades of Neumarkt/Egna. You can visit the living space of a middle-class family of the 19th an 20th century.

With an extensive collection of furniture and utensils used in everyday life, the museum gives insight into a long-gone way of life. Thus, in the museum you can find a playroom, sewing room, a kitchen with pantry, as well as a salon and a bedroom.

Entering the museum, a film shot from eagle‘s-eye-view provides you with an unusual impression of the park. A 3D relief provides visitors with multimedia information concerning the park’s mountains, trails, refuges, lakes and waterfalls. A pendulum gives visitors a close-up look at how the mountains arose, while a kind of stone puzzle provides insight into the geological structure of the mountains. Visitor information systems give information concerning nature, the landscape and the evolution of the nature park region. And for kids there are fairy tales and legends from times past.

Special exhibition from 02.01. - 29.03.25: The amphibians of South Tyrol
“Amphibian” means ‘double-living’. This is exactly what describes their way of life: they live partly in water and partly on land. In addition to information panels, the exhibition presents live animals in near-natural terrariums in an exciting way.
Free admission.

The viewing platform at the Unterstell Cable Car mountain station extends outwards above the rock, offering a magnificent view of the Etschtal Valley and the Vinschgau
Valley. In late 2016, a new via ferrata was installed on the rockface just beneath the platform.

This incredible collection covers some 1,000 sq.mt. and extends over three floors. Older and younger visitors marvel at the model engines and coaches and can take turns driving some of them themselves. The nearby South Tyrol in Miniature Landscapes Museum is also a real hit. The railway museum, with over 20.000 exhibits, is one of Europe’s largest private model railway collections.

ENTRY PRICES 2025

12,00 € adults
8,50 € children (3 to 14 years) 
6,00 € school classes
9,00 € reduction for students, people with disabilities, senior citizens aged 65 and over, groups of 15 or more

25,00 € family ticket (2 adults + 1 child up to 18 years)      
29,00 € Family Card Plus (2 adults + max. 3 children up to 18 years)      

Children under 3 years free

Guided tours by reservation! For larger groups and school classes, different opening times are possible after prior registration. Please contact the train world museum.

Closed in winter.

The Stelvio Pass Road twists and turns in tight serpentines and more than 48 hairpin bends before reaching Stelvio Pass at a lofty height of 2,757 meters.
It connects Spondigna/Spondinig in Venosta Valley with Bormio in Lombardy and is the highest mountain pass in Italy. Its planning and construction – which was begun in 1820 under Kaiser Franz Joseph and completed in 1926 with only six years’ construction – is regarded as a pioneering achievement in the area of mountain road building.

Many centuries ago, when Alta Badia was still largely uninhabited, La Crusc (Holy Cross) seems to have been a pagan place of worship. It was probably the unfavourable living conditions of the area that led the first Christians to construct a sanctuary here.

Around 1010 the monks built a chapel at La Crusc where a small church was erected in the 15th century. At the end of the 17th century the church was deconsecrated by the then Austrian Emperor and was subsequently left to decay. Pilgrims and valley dwellers rescued the little church by partially rebuilding it, and some years later in the middle of the 18th century it was enlarged and embellished with a bell tower.

For a long time the existence of La Crusc as a place of pilgrimage had been established on the basis of documents from the year 1511. And then two further parchment documents emerged with evidence pointing to an earlier existence. The first mentioned a church consecration; the second contained the story of “Morellus de Caninis” who made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1500 in order to seek favours for the La Crusc church.

Numerous relics are preserved in the altar of the church, such as those of St Leonhard (to whom the parish church of San Leonardo/Badia is dedicated), St Hippolitus, St Virgilius (Bishop of Salzburg), St Mary Magdalena, St Agnes and St Barbara.

Nowadays there are several processions to the church during the summer season, and there is an important service on the first Sunday in June.

An Adventure Playground for Children on Watles, the Hikers' Paradise  

Amidst the expansive Watles hiking area, there is the 1500 m² Spielesee – an artificial lake for children, designed as an exciting adventure playground for little ones and families. Kids can play on the wooden rafts, hanging bridges, waterfalls and streams where they can try their hand at "gold panning" or exploring for minerals and other gems. Children love the long slide and the new Funballz, a water–walking-ball which kids can hop and run with along the surface of the water. 

Wooden chaise-langue’s are also available and adults can unwind and enjoy the view from the platform, with its magnificent mountain panorama. Admissions are free of charge.

The Dolomites are part of the UNESCO world heritage since 2009. The UNESCO viewing platform on the Alpe Mastlé in S. Cristina has been built as one of the 7 Viewing platforms in South Tyrol at a particularly beautiful viewing point. Each position of a viewing platform has been selected due to its peculiar geological and scenic aspect of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites.

The castle of Salorno stands imposingly on the rocks above the village and is the symbol of the village. Its position makes it one of the most impressive ruins in the Alps. It was built in the Middle Age and during the time it was constantly enlarged. It was in possession of different nobel families and since the 17th century it belongs to the descendants of Earl Zenobio-Albrizzi from Venice. Thank to their help the castle was restored. Since 2003 it can be visited during summer. Nowadays there take place many cultural events during the warm season.

There is a path called "Way of visions" which leads to the hill of the castle in 20 minutes (by foot).

The Gran Risa slope is one of the most technical slopes in the Alpine Ski World Cup circuit. With its gradient (average 36%) and curves the Gran Risa represents a challenge even for the greatest champions. In fact, the greatest ski stars such as the unforgettable Alberto Tomba who celebrated some of his greatest successes or Ted Ligety, Michael von Grünigen, Bode Miller and Marcel Hirscher have met here in recent years.

The Gran Risa slope is one of the most technically and demanding slopes in the alpine ski circus. With an altitude difference of 448 m, a length of 1,255 m and a maximum gradient of 69%, it challenges the world's best skiers every year.

The start of the piste can be reached from La Villa with the Piz La Ila cable car and via the ski slopes on the Piz La Ila - Piz Sorega plateau.

The descent through the forest starts just below the junction of the black and red slopes of Piz La Ila and runs through the forest close to La Villa. Since the slope extends mostly north and long parts through the forest, it is in the shade for the entire day. This makes it particularly speedy and sometimes even icy.

After overcoming the steep slope at the start, a marked bend leads the descent into a steep, narrow gully. The descent then leads to a second change of direction to arrive at the finish.

If you want to follow the footsteps of the world's best skiers, such as Ingemar Stenmark, Mark Girardelli, Michael von Grünigen, Ted Ligety, Bode Miller, Marcel Hirscher and of course the most successful racer in Italy - Alberto Tomba, and try the Gran Risa, you should be a well-trained skier.

But it’s worth to try, the satisfaction will be great because Gran Risa means pure emotion and adrenaline!

Technical data of the slope

Start at:1.868 m (6128ft)
Finish at:1.420 m (4658ft)
Drop: 448 m (1469ft)
Length:1.255 m (4117ft)
Maximum slope: 69%
Average slope: 36%

Indoor climbing wall and boulder.

Open all year long.

Prices:

• Daily ticket adult: € 11,00
• Junior (from 6 to 18 years): € 8,00

The idyllic Sompunt lake freezes in winter and becomes a skating rink. A magical winter landscape surrounds the small lake where you can skate during the day and in the evening.

Skates and curling stones can be rented at the lake.

The fertile terrace between Auer/Ora, Neumarkt/Egna, and Montan/Montagna is an ancient cultural landscape. Castelfeder was the center of human existence in the south of South Tyrol for thousands of years. There are traces of settlements from the Stone and Bronze Ages. The remains of a castle complex, the legendary fertility chute and the walls of the Barbara Chapel bear witness to a mystical past. Also, Raetians, Romans, and other tribes who settled in the area around the hill retreated to the 400-meter-high hill in troubled times and left their traces.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire had Castelfeder refortified as a bastion against the Germanic tribes shortly after the year 500. On this "acropolis," hundreds of people could find refuge together with their cattle and supplies. The last remains of the 500-meter-long ring wall of this largest fortress of the Adige Valley are the "Kuchelen," whose construction resembles the city wall of Constantinople.

Because of the Mediterranean vegetation, the area was called the "Arcadia of Tyrol" by romantic poets. The Castelfeder hill is important not only from an archaeological and historical point of view, but also from an ecological one. Thus, a zone with an area of about one hundred hectares was placed under landscape protection as a biotope years ago. Due to the Mediterranean climate, it is particularly mild on the hill as early as March. Today, Castelfeder is home to some animals that have become rare in Europe. The biotope's flora and fauna can be explored on the nature discovery trail.