Cultuur en historie

The southern entrance to Laag/Laghetti is characterized by the presence of the St. Lawrence's Church. Dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers in 1532, the late Gothic building sports a portal, the windows of the bell tower, and the nave all in pointed arches. The ceiling is a honeycomb vault, while its ogives and external ribs are decorated with a design alternating the colors black, ochre, and white. The little church was extensively restored in 2007-2008 and the sacred furnishings, works by the sculptor Paul dë Doss-Moroder, were renovated. This is only the last of several interventions carried out in the course of the centuries.

The “zur Goldenen Krone” Inn dates from the 14th century and had a long row of spacious arcades supported on massive stone blocks. The entrance to the inner courtyard of the inn dates from the 17th century. The year 1650 is engraved in the key. The farm was ceded by the Lichtenstein family to the monastery of St. Michele all’Adige in 1470. In the 16th century, the Perkmanns were mostly the owners or rather leaseholders of the house, in the 17th century the Feigenputz and the Röll, Traxl and Lutterotti in the 18th century. It was considered the best inn between Bolzano and Trento and had a wealthy clientele. Despite decay in the previous two centuries, ownership of the building passed to the Mutschlechner family in 1811, who used it not only as an inn, but also for retail trade, horse-drawn carriage hire, a distillery and a butcher's shop.

Montan/Montagna is located at the border of the Trudner Horn/Monte Corno Nature Park and surrounded by vineyards and orchards. Paved alleys and colorful buildings characterize the historic center of Montan. The parish church was built in the 12th century and is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. The Schloss Enn/Castel d'Enna is located high above the village and was built in 1172 by the Lords of Enn. The small hamlets of Pinzon/Pinzano, Gschnon/Casignano, Kaltenbrunn/Fontanefredde, Glen/Gleno, and Kalditsch/Doladizza also belong to Montan. The plateau is characterized by the typical vineyards, where the best Pinot Noir wines of South Tyrol thrive. Montan is a popular starting point for numerous hikes and mountain bike tours.

 

In Andriano there is a beautiful wooded area characterized by a strong presence of yew trees, which has been designated as a landscape protection zone.
Yew trees are found in communities with pines, hornbeams and black hornbeams, but also in pure, dark and dense stands, and offer an optimal habitat for many species of animals.
The yew forest with its numerous paths invites you to walk and relax.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Structure built on L-shaped plan consisting of two wings. The residential building to the north, facing the
road, dates from the Middle Ages as indicated by regular stone layers and corner blocks. It is topped by
a late-medieval extension that is linked to the core building under a single gable roof. The upper floor
features Renaissance fixtures: a panelled room with coffered ceiling, dentil friezes and a wall closet
dating from 1628. Immediately to the northeast is a round-arched entrance to the courtyard.
The south-facing wing has a passage with vaulting cells at ground level; an outside staircase in the
courtyard runs round a corner to the first floor. Topped with hip roof.

This large stone from the Bronze Age can be found along the Grauner Weg, but unfortunately, its original place of origin is not known. Its many engraved symbols are still a mystery today.

Stone of mica schist with 53 sunken bowls. They point to ancient sacrificial and cult ceremonies. Furthermore, two ships and a
Swastika can be seen (a sun). These type of stones ​​date back to the Bronze Age. The remaining symbols may have been engraved
later. The exact location where it was found in Graun is unknown.

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).

Over time, the stream Gaiderbach has cut deeply into the porphyry rock and formed a narrow, distinctive gorge with waterfalls. The gorge presents itself simply fascinating and breathtaking: the mossy rock faces, the power of the water, the species-rich vegetation (including ferns and various species of orchids) form an undisturbed interplay of nature.

Sale of fruits and vegetables (according to the season), apple juice and bee products (all home-made) at the Farmers Market on the market square in Caldaro/Kaltern (every Tuesday from Easter to All Saints) or by telephonically agreement directly at the farm. From the end of June to the 19th of September you get the apple juice and the wine at the sale booth in Merano/Sinigo (Via Reich/Reichstraße) too.

The "gemain Riglhaus" once stood on this site. In 1574 it is mentioned as a schoolhouse as well as a teacher's and organist's residence, and in 1629 as the "gemain Mesenhaus". In 1788, after the introduction of compulsory schooling, the schoolroom was extended here. In 1820, this house is listed as a parish residence, and from 1829 to 1845 it is again listed as a schoolhouse. In 1880 it became the parish and sacristan's house, and in the 20th century the post office was housed here. After the fascist takeover, the first floor became the meeting place of the "Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro". On the lower floor, the last of Montan's cobblers had his workshop for a long time, later there was the office of the tourist association, then a butcher's shop. Since the end of the 1980s, the headquarters of the "Montaner Schützenkompanie" have been located here. The panelled Gothic parlour on the first floor and the stucco ceiling on the second floor are particularly valuable.

According to oral tradition, it was once a customs station for the Enn jurisdiction. In 1530, an inn was first documented here. Furrier Hans Disner from Neumarkt is named as the tenant. The valuable wall paintings in the dining room, which probably also served as a courtroom at the time, date from this time.

The central element of these frescoes is the coat of arms of Emperor Charles V, who probably passed through Tyrol on his way back from Bologna to the Imperial Diet in Augsburg in 1530 and probably stopped here in Montan. Various allegorical representations can be seen in eight divided fields of the cross vault; the Habsburg imperial coat of arms, the Austrian shield with ducal hat and the Tyrolean coat of arms with laurel wreath are also shown in the centre of the west wall.

Owned by the Teiss family from 1586. In 1600, the "Guldenen Löwen auf Monthan" is described as an economic dwelling. 1687 Ownership by the Pernter family, who appear as restaurant owners until 1737. This was followed by the Constanz and later the Haidenberger from Olang and 10 further owners. In 1865 the property came to the Pichler family from Kalditsch, who had once migrated from Petersberg. Matthias, Peter and Kreszentia acquire the Oberwirt. They are followed as owners in 1928 by Lambert Pichler and then his widow Martha until 1974, followed by their son Otto Pichler with his wife Magdalena Scherlin. In 2002, their son Harald Pichler took over the "Goldener Löwen" together with his wife Barbara Thaler and their two daughters.

Three-storey building with regular window axes and south-facing loggia in the Mitterdorf quarter. The
origin was a tower-like core at the southwest corner dating from the late 13th-century, extended in at
least five development phases between the 14th and 17th centuries to create the present structure.
Further developments took place in the neo-Classicist and Historicist periods. The two lower levels of
the three-storey loggia structure on the southern façade date back to the Renaissance; the finishing
balustrade with its Tuscan columns is a neo-Classicist addition from around 1800.

Historic inn on the northeast side of the main square, formerly also known as the Gasthof Post as horses
would be changed here. In its present form the three-storey Renaissance building dates back to the

early 16th century, as indicated by the outside staircase, double-arched window with rosettes, stone-
framed rectangular windows and stucco ceilings.

When the menhir was discovered during excavations, it stood at the western corner of Freienfeld Manor in burnt black soil, surrounded by a circle of stones. Some of these stones still circle the menhir.

The menhir is, in comparison to other menhirs, primitive, yet there is clear evidence of workmanship. The glacial erratic of quartz phyllite is 1.65 m high with a circumference of 1.95 m and is reminiscent of a cyclopic giant.

As with other menhirs, it is likely anthropomorphous and imitates, though remotely, the stature of a person. The menhir was presumably a place for worship of gods, heros or the dead. It is probably a male menhir, with three aligned holes, and wearing a clearly visible collar.

The unusual phenomenon of the ice caves between the two villages of Kaltern (Oberplanitzing/Pianizza di Sopra) and Eppan/Appiano can be explained with a simple physical principle: air streams down through cracks in the porphyry stone, creating a system of windpipes that becomes cooler as it descends. This heavier, cold air mass collects in a 5 meter high pool in the depression. This climate is ideal for plants that would normally thrive in higher alpine regions. We do recommend to make this excursion during warm summer months.

The beautiful building "In der Titschen" had been an inn since the 16th century and also served as a seat for court meetings until the middle of the 18th century. Here the minutes of the various sections into which the social life of the village was divided were written and offices and tasks were periodically distributed. With the takeover by the Venetian Counts Zenobio, the importance of the inn declined, as the court seat was moved to Mitterdorf.

The stately Gebhardthof has stood here since 1539. At that time, one of the sons volunteered to go to war as a lansquenet with three other young men from Montan, while his brothers managed the farm. At the same time, they marketed wine - including white Lagrein - even as far as Rosenheim. Already in the next generation, the estates and the stately accessories are separated from the house. After several changes of ownership, the Rosenwirt from today's Amplatz on the opposite side of the village square married into the house in 1671. He gave the former Gebhardthof its present name. There has been the right to manage it as a restaurant since at least the middle of the 17th century. After further changes of ownership among old-established Montan families, the Wegscheider family became the owners in 1862. Since 1990 it has been owned by the Malojer family, who run this house as a traditional inn.

This house, which forms a unit with the Wegscheiderhof to the south, is a good example of the Überetsch architectural style. The primetime of this architectural style was between 1550 and 1600. Typical features are the stone-framed door frames and window arches, bay windows, double-arched windows with slender central columns, and the enclosed courtyard.

This wonderful panoramic point is right next to the church in Altenburg/Castelvecchio and offers a stunning view towards Lake Kaltern and the homonymous village. Northwards you can see the mountain peaks of Hirzer/Punta Cervina and Ifinger/Picco Ivigna, but also the Sarner Scharte/Forcella Sarentina and the Rittner Horn/Corno del Renon. Eastwards instead you can see the peaks of Rosengarten/Catinaccio and Latemar, while southwards the view sweeps across the Etschtal/Val d’Adige.

Position:
The big Montiggl Lake is located in the middle of the nature reserve Montiggl with its stunning mixed forest in the community of Eppan on 492 meters above sea level. It can be reached by car or by the numerous walking paths nearby.

Topography:
The big Montiggl Lake has a shoreline of 2 kilometres and its surface is around 18 hectares wide. At its deepest spot it has a depth of 11.5 meters. In the north-east it is surrounded by rock, whereat the opposite site it changes to a swamp.

Utilization:
According to analyses the lake has very good data regarding the water quality and is therefore one of South Tyroles most popular swimming lake. In the west of the lake there are hotels, restaurants and a swimming pool with a pier located.

The Capuchin monastery and its small church were built between 1617 and 1620. The church has a simple design in accordance with the style and regulations of the Capuchin Order: simple in terms of furnishings, bare walls, barrel vaults, and a side chapel on the south side. The high altar is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. The pulpit and the side altars are neo-Romanesque and date back to the 19th century. The altar of the side chapel contains a statue of the mother of God with Child from the middle of the 16th century, which is said to have miraculous powers. Between 1999 and 2003, the whole complex was carefully restored. In the little church, this also led to the renewal of the windows and the benches, which – in harmony with the surroundings – are now simple and linear. Thus, the light penetrates through seven beautiful glass panes that seem to communicate with the faithful through their symbolic meaning of colors and number.

The “Weißes Rössl” Inn marked the southern gate to the hotel district in the lower part of the village. In the 17th century the "Weißes Rössl" was owned by the Lanser, von Moß and Festenstein families while being run by several hosts. From 1700 ti 1750 it was owned by the Bombardas, who, in the person of Josef Bombarda, supported the project for the construction of the Fountain of Hercules. The inn had a successful fish farm near the old fountain. After the owners went bankrupt, the hotel frequently changed management up to its sale to Josef Handlmayr in 1868.

The first written documentation referring to this church appears at the end of the 14th century. From this era, the bell tower remains today, with its double-mullioned windows surmounted by triple-mullioned windows and frescoes on the façade representing the saints Anne, Catherine and Margaret, Christopher with the baby Jesus, and St. Michael, to whom the church is dedicated. In 1672, the church was restored, supplied with a barrel vault, and supplemented with a new chancel, side altar, and sacristy. Particularly rich are the decorations of the choir stalls: The scenes depicted on the parapet stem from the 17th century and represent the Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, the Adoration of the Magi, the circumcision of Jesus, the flight from Egypt, and the Massacre of the Innocents. The busts painted on the lower part of the choir stalls represent the twelve Apostles and date back to the 18th century. The interior of the church is bare due to the theft of the furnishings and sacred images in 1969. The stolen original altarpiece was replaced by a representation of St. Michael fighting evil.

 

Medieval winery and estate on the Kiechelberg hill which, together with the associated Church of St. Daniel, was until 1785 in the possession of the Benedictine Sonnenburg Abbey in the Puster Valley. The free-standing farm building dates back to the late Middle Ages and the Gothic style of the 15th century.

The middle part of the "3-Dörfer-Wegs" (three village trail), or 3D-Weg, leads from Entiklar to Margreid. Between lovely rock walls harboring wall ferns and lizards, we wander leisurely upwards to the "Margreider Leiten", steep vineyards with panoramic views of the Etsch valley. The last part follows a somehwat steep paved road into the beautiful little wine village of Margreid.

The “Weißer Adler'' Inn dates back to the latter half of the 17th century and features stone-framed windows and a turret stairway. The beautiful building has passed amongst many owners. In the 18th century, the Bombardis and later, it was home to a branch of the Fenners family; between the 19th and 20th centuries, it was owned by the Hofers and the Seppis. With the establishment of the Taxis family's postal service, the "Weißer Adler '' hotel became a post house and its owners were made postmasters. The 3-storey building stands at the southern end of Via Trento, concluding the street at this end, which, from here to the "Schwarzer Adler'' hotel at the northern end, is quite closely arranged, showing the intention behind the urban layout in its main use as hotel district, thoroughfare and centre of movement for guests.

Festivities:
S. Antonio da Padova: June 13 th
Francesco d’Assisi: October 4th

The first Franciscans came to Bolzano during the lifetime of S. Francesco, probably in 1221. In the framework of the reform guided by Bernardino of Siena a second propagation wave of the Franciscans took place. In this context the monastery foundations of Kaltern were built. Claudia de Medici, Provincial Princess of Tyrol and promoter of the Franciscan movement, donated the ruins of the Rottenburg to the Franciscans, which were destroyed at the beginning of the 15th century. Parts of the garden area for the construction of the church and monastery. At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was expanded to the present state. The image of St. Anthony of Padua on the right-hand side altar is of great importance for piety. The Antonius cycle in the cloister was painted in 1721 by Matthias Pußjäger.

Source: Parrish office Kaltern

In 1916 the imperial and royal military administrations began building the railway. At that time it served as an important supply route for the Dolomite front. During the 2-year construction period of the 51 km long route with its characteristic viaducts, bridges and tunnels, mainly 6,000 Russian and Serbian prisoners of war were used for the work. In 1917 the first supply transports for the front were carried out and from January 1918 the train could be used for passenger transport with a journey time of 4 hours from Auer to Predazzo. In 1930 therailway, originally pulled by a steam locomotive, was electrified. This reduced the travel time to 2 hours. Due to the constantly growing mobilization and the introduction of a bus connection to the Fiemme Valley, the railway became less and less important. In 1963 the company was closed. Today the railway line is a popular route for hikers and cyclists.

L’affascinante paese di Ora è circondato da vigneti che gli conferiscono il suo tipico carattere rurale. Il centro del paese è fiancheggiato da mura in pietra naturale e vicoli stretti che ricordano un labirinto, da cui il nome labirinto di vicoli. Le origini del primo insediamento risalgono all'età della pietra e ancora oggi gli edifici medievali, che conferiscono al paese il suo fascino particolare, testimoniano i tempi passati.

North of Wolfsthurn Castle, on the hiking trail from Andriano to the Bittner farm, on a flat slope called Schlosspichl you will find a magnificent chestnut grove.
Chestnut trees of different ages stand on the green meadow and have a special aura due to their fresh, light green foliage. One large oak tree dominates the chestnut grove majestically, which thanks to its position is much warmer than the surrounding forest and radiates vitality through its radiant colours.

A place to fall in love! A place that allows hikers to rest and that is a natural playground for children.   From the chestnut grove a short path leads to a small hill with a cross and several benches, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of Andriano and the Adige valley.

The Spring Valley is located between lake Kaltern and lake Montiggl.    The wonderful colours are waiting for us. Discover what Mother Nature has onoffer, but remember, please don’t pick the flowers, it is prohibited. Spring Valley is easily reached by car. Just ask for information at the Tourist Office. A natural wonder!