Kultur & Sehenswürdigkeiten an der Südtiroler Weinstraße

With a height of 86 metres, this church's bell tower is the tallest steeple built of stone in South Tyrol. In the early 20th century the medieval nave made place for the present design by the architect Franz Mayr, though the Gothic chancel har remained with its frescoes. The martyrdom of the curch's patron saints Julitta and Quiricus is depicted in a fresco cycle on the southern wall.

The architects have succeeded in creating an exemplary alternative in this modern housing development: in addition to fixed adjacent row houses, they formed eight freestanding houses into a village-like group of homes, which have beautiful garden areas and are nicely integrated into the hillside. The individual structures are in fact connected to one another through the lower levels, but appear to be scattered, being lightly twisted along the wide pedestrian development, which is at the same time a play street above the underlying parking garage. The buildings are classical, with various types of houses again and again − plastered masonry with well-designed perforated facades, deep loggias and subtle colors. The housing group was developed jointly by the architects of the owners’ association, and received the 2011 South Tyrolean Architecture Award.

This cooperative winery was founded in 1960, and today its 290 members work more than 300 hectares of vineyards. The industrial buildings in which the winery was located on the outskirts of Cornaiano/Girlan, no longer matched the quality of the wines and its associated image. So the first step of remodeling the commercial building was to give it an attractive wood façade, with vertical oak floorboards and deep reveals with steel sheets for the necessary openings. A second construction phase implemented a visually light, steel structure as a roof for the delivery area, under which all-new winemaking equipment was installed. In addition, the tasting room was refurbished. Since the hillside winery is visible from afar, a steel trellis was placed on the street level of the buildings as an entryway, and the road was planted with cypresses to create an avenue.

It was decided at Lake Caldaro/Kaltern, the warmest lake in the Alps, to create an outdoor swimming pool with an unusual bathing complex instead of a season-lengthening indoor pool. The architect took advantage of the downslope to the lake, leading the swimmer from the entrance between airy pavilions, with wide-spread winged roofs made of steel for shade, past the bistro, to a wooden-planked terrace reminiscent of a ship's deck. Here the swimming pools lie on an underlying free surface with rain room and whirlpool complex, which serves as a shady area in the summer. From here, swimmers in the overlying basin can be seen from below through circles of glass. The entire complex looks like a refined moving concrete sculpture that seems to float above the lawn in front of the lake.

Meetings, courses, conferences, training courses, exhibitions, product presentations, audio recordings, concerts, fairs, Christmas parties, birthday parties and wedding - the Civic House located in the center of Termeno offers the environment ideal for any type of private or public event.

Between Caldaro/Kaltern and the lake lies a vineyard landscape with beautiful residences, including Manicor’s Renaissance structure. Because its new wine cellar, with a cubic capacity of 30,000 cubic meters, would have severely intruded upon this landscape, it was built underground. Only the wooden sales pavilion was added to the previously existing ensemble. The cellar appears only through the entrances and the glass “eye” of the tasting room, which affords views across to Leuchtenburg Castle. Rows of vines further cover the underground facility. A carefully formed concrete construction with building elements made of Corten steel was placed between sprayed concrete walls in the tempered ground. In this way a uniform climate for sustainable architecture has been ensured, which focuses on the gentle processing of grapes according to the tenets of biodynamic viticulture.

Business carried on as usual during the building and conversion work, which succeeded in transforming the high expectations placed on wine production into an architectural form. A symbol of urban development was simultaneously designed as part of the entranceway. Sections of the pre-existing building were flanked by the wings of the new buildings, making for an impressive welcome at the winery. This means that the delivery area and customer reception are completely separated by a story. The architecture of the new buildings seems to have grown out of the vineyard landscape − the design of the facade, with its steel construction and glass surfaces takes the form of the vineyards in a symbolic connection between the sloping vineyards and the winery. Inside is a light, spacious area constructed from wood and glass, while in the cellar bright colors have been employed.

The Walch Winery is housed in a former Jesuit monastery, with neighboring buildings. For the reception and tasting areas, a garden pavilion was planned at what was likely the most difficult spot in the park: it was built at the top of the junction in the village street that runs down from the town hall square. From there, one can see only the drywall of the boundary, and a curved white roof as an “extension” of the wall covering. Through three slots in the masonry, one can see the park with its huge trees. But one also sees the floor-to-ceiling glass facade of the elegant pavilions under the overhanging roof edge in the garden courtyard, contained by the wall. In the narrow interior space, wooden fixtures with a breakfast bar and a curtain wall are located in front of the side rooms. On it, the bottles are exhibited horizontally. An inviting ensemble with service in the park.

The little St. Joseph Church in Ronchi - “Kirche St. Joseph in Rungg” in German, “Chiesa di San Giuseppe a Ronchi” in Italian - is, compared to the other churches in the surroundings of Lake Caldaro, a more recent construction. The building was planned in 1900 by Ferdinand Mungenast, an Austrian architect, who designed also other significant buildings in Bolzano and the Oltradige area, such as the Grandhotel d’Appiano or the St. Joseph Church in Frangarto. Seven years after its edification in 1901, the St. Joseph Church was embellished with a steeple.

Nowadays, the sacred building presents itself with a two-bay groined vault, a polygonal choir termination and a church tower with a pointed spire. In 1977 the church was placed under monumental protection. Worth seeing are above all the artworks by Ferdinand Stuflesser (1855 - 1926), a famous sculptor from the Val Gardena valley in South Tyrol: the altar with the statues of St. Joseph with Jesus the child and St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers and deaf people, as well as St. Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, the national patron saint of Spain.

Above the church entrance there is the statue of St. Anthony of Padua, venerated as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items. It is located in the hamlet of Ronchi (Rungg), which can be found along the South Tyrolean Wine Road after the centre of Termeno and before the wine village of Cortaccia. Also the public bus stops there.

Strictly speaking, Kaltern Winery was built for 420 clients: winemakers, usually with very small acreage, who joined in a cooperative. In order to strengthen the mobile perception of the winery, a striking building was built in front of the village center, between the old winery building and the South Tyrolean Wine Road. The angular complex around the quiet inner courtyard forms a memorable landmark, together with the tower-like corner building. Large, flush glass areas are set into the bronzed façade cladding, in which the environment appears as in a distorting mirror. As you cross the courtyard you walk into an open interior structure that affords fascinating views from several levels. The materials are limited to glass, white wall surfaces and dark acacia wood. Wine is the star of the show here, accompanied by a sophisticated yet simple art concept.

To the north of Rechtenthal Castle lies the hamlet Söll whose church is dedicatet to St. Mauritius. The steeple with its paired round arch windows and its brick-built pyramidal roof dates back as far as the 13th century, whereas the church nave and décor are basically realized in Gothic style. Of particular interest is a fresco, unfortunately seriously damaged, depicting the church's patron saint in a cavalry battle. The same patron also features as the central charakter in the winged altarpiece. When leaving the church, you will notice an inscription on the outer wall, just above the small rectangular window. Written in Gothic minuscules it tells that the south annex of the sacred building was wewcted later, in 1470. Just below the church you can see a building that is architecturally very interesting. Its structure is well-proportioned and the elegant wrought iron window grilles aforning the upper floor bear witness of the centuries-old craftsmanship that was at work here. A little further uphill from the church another architectual gem is hiding: here you will come across a group of two or three picturesque old farmhouses, and on the archway of one of these you can still read the initials of one of its formers owners who perpetuated his name back in 1684.

The left nave is Romanesque. The high altar was built around 1520. The left side nave is Gothic. The altar there contains picture panels of Adam and Eve, probably from Bartlmä Dill Riemenschneider.

In the center of the village, only a stone's throw from the market place, stands one of the wine village’s oldest houses, which has housed a hotel since 1742. In the back, the plot of land stretches up the mountainside and borders orchards and vineyards. At the highest point a wooden pavilion with large glass fronting stands on the roof of the new underground garage, built to be a wellness temple. The sauna provides an excellent view over Caldaro/Kaltern and into the Überetsch. The transition from the necessarily closed, dark rooms out into the garden is smooth, illuminated as it is by light shafts. An outdoors pool with a terrace is adjoined in such a way that the passages over into the vineyards seems self-evident. The old building is tastefully renovated; the old contrasts the new in the reception area, bar, wine cellar and bedrooms, all of which have an individual character to them.

The vintner took over his father's 1980s estate, and built a modern tasting space in the stolid old building. The simple insertion is a piece pulled out of the facade, a covered terrace, and can be opened with a retractable glass wall. The refined and ingenious design, perfect down to the last groove, is revealed only when one comes closer. It is completely white, uncompromising paired with the wine, which plays the starring role here. The white tasting table can be adjusted upwards, so that the wine can be tasted while standing, as if at a bar. The entire back wall area is used for projections. A specially designed lighting concept completes the presentation of wines to great effect. All of the service components required for the tastings are stored in a bar niche.

Old Joseph's Church

The old, small church was constructed in 1639 and dedicated to Saint Joseph. The tower was only added in 1865. This church is one of the oldest churches in Tyrol dedicated to Saint Joseph. The interior is arranged like a Capuchin church. The church was extended in 1845.
The church is not open for visitors.

Parish Church Saint Joseph the Worker

Because the old church became too small for the population in Vilpian in 1900, the community planned to build a new church. Due to the difficult financial situation and World War II, the construction of the new church only began in 1949; the bare brickwork was concluded in 1950, and finally in 1955 the church was consecrated. It is a modern, austere sacred building. Over the main altar, there is a life-size crucifix dating from the 17th century. It is an item on loan from the Meran Civic Theatre and is the most important piece of art in the church. The renowned painter Franz Lenhart from Meran painted the two adoring angels on the façade and the monogram of Jesus above the round window over the entry. The bell tower was not realized at the beginning, due to financial reasons. Only in October 1996, was the new tower constructed within a short period of time.

Catholic services: Sat. 7 pm (every 1st, 3rd and 5th saturday), Sun. 10.45 am (every 2nd and 4th)

A Natural Monument!
The 82 m high waterfall is fed by the Möltner Brook. The path leads past the old Vilpiano's Wasserwaal from the 17th century. The water was once used to irrigate the fields.

Accessible by foot in ten minutes from the village center of Vilpiano.

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.

The old building of the Cantina Terlano is situated in the middle of the village. It managed to cautiously expand, mainly underground, as the plot of land it sits upon is quite small. Visible above ground are the large delivery yard and the terrace above it, with the transparent tasting room. The underlying outer wall of the new cellar rooms is clad in dry stone work made from the typical porphyritic rock found in the Terlano vineyards, and the remaining underground construction is planted over with vines in order to help the new sections of building blend into the landscape. The heart of the new cellar rooms is the barrel cellar, decorated in porphyritic rock panels, which create an almost sacred atmosphere. The original parts of the building were carefully restored and a landmark tower, clad in Corten steel, and lift were added.

The Parish church "Maria Himmelfahrt" (Mary´s ascension) by Terlan is a building from the High Gothic Period of the 14th Century. The altar room and the choir chairs are the oldest part of the building.
Catholic services: Sat. 7 pm (every 2nd and 4th saturday of the month) and Sun. 8.45 am (every 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday of the month) in German and every Sunday 10.15 am in Italian.

The sedate building on the village square, next to the church, is the headquarters of the winery, the barrel storage and technical rooms were extended into the space between the Gothic church tower and the old building. In order to save space, they decided on a wood-planked tower. Its wide, overhanging flat roof incorporates the first cornice of the church tower, just a few meters away, and the height of the old building’s eaves. The winery tower is thus well integrated. Because wood was chosen as the material and it has a similarly warm tone to the sandstone of the church tower, the two towers do not compete with one another. The strip of windows in the meeting space under the roof of the tower makes reference to the Gothic truss frame of the church tower. The barrel cellar is a structure with concrete supports, fitted with exposed bricks. Both the cellar and the stairwell are pervaded with artistically defined color schemes.

The Jewish business family Schwarz founded the steam-powered brewery in 1849. It was the largest in South Tyrol. In 1897, an electric power plant was added. The plant was equipped with the latest, state-of-the art turbine model, Pelton. Many parts oft he plant were made of steel casting which are still perfectly preserved today.

In 1924, the brewery was sold and transformed into a malt brewery. Pilsner, Münchner and Caramel malt beers were produced.

The electrical power station was in use from 1897 until the malt brewery closed down in 1986. The whole area then became the property of the Autonomous Province of Bozen. The regional Fire Brigade school was built on the site, but a few of the original buildings have been preserved. At Heinrich Erschbamer’s instigation and his untiring commitment, the electric power plant has been professionally restored and has been open to the public since 2014.

This winery, rich of traditions, has seen many alterations over the years and the cellar area in particular was extended and reorganized in 2011. An underground concrete construction was built to form a new fermentation cellar with a pressing chamber, over which a curved roof was built in order to protect the delivery. A concrete structure was also chosen for the new storage room, the west-facing wall, which gives out onto the orchard and was covered in wire baskets filled with excavated stones. These gabions were also used along the border and, as a design feature of the building extension, are reminiscent of the terroir of the vineyards. A beautiful reception courtyard is situated between the old and new buildings, displaying a fountain sculpture and planted tree, forming the new central point in the structure of the building.

Church near the graveyard. If you like to visit the church, you get the key in the Tourist Office - we need a deposit.

The world of grappa, spirits and liqueurs is a long tradition of the distillery Villa Laviosa.

A guided tasting is possible on request, only with advance registration and a minimum of 4 participants. Otherwise you can go shopping in the shop or try a few products.

This small and cosy chapel was built in 1702 by order of the Commander Johann Jakob Count Thun. It was the second chapel, after the one in Klobenstein that was devoted to the Saint who was greatly revered by him. It is also the crowning conclusion of his building activities carried out at the manor of the Teutonic Order in Siebeneich which began in 1664. The altar with two columns and statues of St. John and St. Jacob, who are the patron saints of the Commander, is credited to the sculptor Cristoforo Benedetti from Castione.

Baumgarten Manor was a grand estate with several buildings dating from the thirteenth century, which underwent a number of structural modifications. For renovation and remodeling for repurposing, the existing heritage-listed structure was to be preserved and modern features adjoined where needed. A three-story block was added in order to connect the individual tracts. All new components were designed as steel-and-glass structures so that they would stand out clearly from the solid, plastered original building, without being pushed to the forefront intrusively. The inner courtyard was paved, trees were planted and an illuminated guide line to the entrances was embedded into the ground. It continues at the main entrance as a gully. This guide line recurs in the interior corridors, its careful use of color conveying an atmosphere that is almost artistic.

The conversion of a formerly rustic residence near the center of the village into a modern cultural center was successful thanks to careful consideration and a soft touch as regards the historical side to the building. Visible from the outside, a new entrance with a foyer in a contemporary joining building was nevertheless added on, which is elegantly inserted next to the large old building with its steel and glass construction. A beautiful, peaceful inner courtyard was created through this merging of the buildings, which can also be used for open-air events. Inside the building modern details have been carefully connected to what was already there; the white color scheme throughout, in combination with the natural colors of the wooden materials, stone and stainless steel creates a calm background for a diverse range of events.

Architect Othmar Barth has created a pioneering South Tyrolean hotel architecture by this building, proving that in South Tyrol modern regional architecture in its own right is possible, and that it doesn't necessarily have to refer to Alpine decoration. The refined, undulating building is nestled on the edge of the Caldaro vineyards and appears, though freestanding, to be integrated into the landscape, breathing the spirit of the place. The structure is slightly removed from the shore of the lake, and its restaurant, terraces and the shaded loggias of the rooms afford clear views of the meadows, even as far as the reeds on the glittering surface of the lake. Simple materials such as copper, wood, stone and plastered masonry add to the successful scale of the building; they also determine the interior and lend the hotel a sense of timelessness.

Lageder Winery is located in the center of the wine village Magrè/Margreid and next to the historical Löwengang Manor. The design concept focused on the optimal integration of the building, the sustainable use of nature as well as biological architectural, ecological, and artistic criteria. Plastered masonry, wood and glass under a protective roof with solar panels, a thermally regulated glass hall and cooling through the moist rock wall were all made into building elements. The circular cellar tower is the building’s center, and its vertical curve represents the gentle “vertical principle” of vinification: the grapes are delivered and de-stemmed under the freestanding roof; then they are pressed and fermented one floor below; the steel barrels and bottling plant, meanwhile, are located at the lowest level. The oak barrels are situated in the adjacent old building. At the level of the delivery, there are offices around an interior glass hall.