Culture & attractions along the Alto Adige Wine Road

Another point of interest is the Baumgarten Castle in the historical center of Auer/Ora. During the 12th century, it was used as a fortification. Afterwards, many modifications were made and additions built. Nowadays, it is part of the agricultural high school.

In the Middle Ages, Seeber House was part of the sovereign freehold with a barn and court cellar, and until the 19th century it was the seat of the keeper of the court of Enn and Kaldiff, as well as the place of payment of the "Zehent" tax (tithe) in kind to the manor. Roof surfaces, pillars and vaults of the farm buildings are partly originally preserved. Around the year 1600, the residential house was rebuilt. Above the doors there are the coats of arms of the court guardian families. The last incumbent was Vinzenz von Pühler, a friend of Andreas Hofer.

According the slogan "freedom and harmony between art and nature" the South Tyrolean artist Sieglinde Tatz-Borgogno has created 200 sculptures of bronze, marble and clay at the small village Pochinear Salorno. People with their forces, desires and fears are at the focus of the artist's creativity. The sculpture-garden is reachable in a few minutes from the center of Pochi and is freely accessible.

The parish church of St. Florian/St. Floriano on the old imperial road north of Laag/Laghetti was first mentioned in 1189, but it dates back to around 1145. The lower part of the nave dates from the time of its first mention (1189). The choir with the accentuated towering choir loft replaced an older end in the 13th century. The church of St. Florian is a unique artistic monument. In the nave, the old Romanesque building form is still preserved. Later, an elevated transverse square was attached to this nave, which was probably intended as a domed building. A round apse was attached to it in the 12th century, the exterior decoration of which features beautiful pilaster strips and a round arch frieze with various sculptures worth seeing. From 2005 to 2008, the church was restored from the ground up. The outside area around the church was also redesigned and a parking lot was built. On May 03, 2008, the church of St. Florian was consecrated by Bishop Wilhelm Egger.

The Stephanus Church was originally built in Romanesque style around the year 1200. Afterwards the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style. Inside the church there's the famous winged altar, which was created around 1485 by the South-Tyrolean artist Hans Klocker. Today, this altar is one of the biggest and most beautiful winged altars of Tyrol.

The stately castle of Enn is located above Montan/Montagna. It was built around the year 1300 at the request of the noble Lords of Enn, who at that time also owned the fortress of Castelfeder. In the course of a dispute, the von Enn family was expelled. The castle was subsequently inhabited by several noble families and repeatedly rebuilt. Since the 17th century, Enn Castle has been privately owned by the Albrizzi family and is not open to visitors. An exception is the traditional "Schlosskonzert," which takes place annually in mid-August. This is a good opportunity to see the castle courtyard and experience a traditional concert by the Montan Music Band.

The parish church of Neumarkt/Egna is dedicated to St. Nicholas. The Romanesque porch dates back to the 12th century and was renovated in the 15th century. The tower was built in the 13th century. The choir, built by the master stonemason Konrad von Neumarkt, is an excellent example of late Gothic architecture.

Farther down the street, you come to house number 22, today, the seat of the District Association of Unterland/Bassa Atesina. Here again we find judge Peter Ganel's coat of arms and the date of construction, 1583, on the portal. The building distinguishes itself by the refined character of the interior, the window and door frames in stone, as well as by the elegance of the vaulted and beamed ceilings.

 

After a short hike through the mixed forest up to Hocheppan Castle, visitors are greeted with a unique panorama: towering above the provincial capital of Bolzano is one of South Tyrol’s most famous mountain groups, the Sciliar massif and the legendary Rosengarten. Looking further across the landscape, one can see the Ötztal Alps to the north and the Lagorai range in Trentino to the south.

History:

The castle was built by Count Ulrich II around 1130 and was already one of the most powerful fortresses in the region at that time. In 1158, it was destroyed but soon rebuilt. In 1315, it was handed over to the territorial princes of Tyrol and has since changed ownership several times. Since 1911, Hocheppan Castle has been owned by the Counts of Enzenberg. Among the many well-preserved castles in South Tyrol, Hocheppan Castle is undoubtedly one of the most impressive due to its unique location.

Architectural Style and Features:

Hocheppan Castle combines the beauty of the surrounding landscape with the romantic charm of a medieval fortress. Particularly striking is the keep, with its pentagonal shape, parts of which date back to the 16th century. The highlight from an art-historical perspective is the castle chapel, featuring a remarkable fresco cycle.

Art-Historical Guided Tours:

Hocheppan Castle and its chapel can be visited as part of guided tours, available every 30 minutes from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the following days:

• April – July: Thursday to Sunday
• August: Thursday to Monday
• September – November: Thursday to Tuesday

For more information about guided tours, please contact the Tourist Association of Appiano at info@eppan.com or by phone at +39 0471 662206.

Archery Course at Hocheppan Castle:

The archery course next to Hocheppan Castle is open daily except Wednesdays and offers visitors an exciting and medieval-like experience during the "hunt" with bow and arrow. Completing the entire course takes approximately 3 hours.

Hiking Options:

The hike to Hocheppan Castle is one of the highlights of the "Three Castles Hike," which also includes the ruins of Boymont Castle and Schloss Hotel Korb.

The castle chapel of Hocheppan with its roman frescos is one of the most important roman art monuments in South Tyrol. The centuries old frescos had been painted over and were only entirely laid open in 1926. Besides religious themes, the hunting scene on the exterior wall can be seen as one of the rarest profane depictions in Tyrol dating from this time period. The wall paintings originate from the first decade of the 13th century and show famous illustrations like the foolish virgins, the dumpling eater - the first proof for Tyrolean dumplings - and the picture of 'Maria Heimsuchung' which is well known far beyond the border of South Tyrol.

The town hall of Salorno/Salurn was once owned by the family of the Barons von Winklhofer, whose coat of arms can also be found on the portal, is characterized by Nordic and Italian building elements typical of the Überetsch/Oltraadige style of the 16th century. The open archway of the old building rests on mighty stone blocks. On the façade, the stone-framed rectangular windows are arranged next to the two-storey bay window and alternate with two superimposed double round-arched windows.

Evidence of a church in this area dates back to the mid-13th century, but the construction of the building as we know it today began in 1412 when the choir loft was built by Konrad von Neumarkt. It was completed when the vault was finished at the beginning of the 16th century. The façade of the church is dominated by the bell tower, which stands above the entrance and forms a vestibule leading to the entrance portal. Next to it, a niche for donations is decorated with a fresco of a Madonna and Child, and on the west side of the tower, a small wooden roof protects a fresco of St. Christopher with the Child Jesus. The interior of the church looks light and elegant. Light streams through eight windows, four of which belong to the choir. Of particular value are the Gothic tabernacle and the pulpit base. Of the frescoes in the interior that have survived the test of time, those on the south wall are attributed to the painter Konrad Waider at the beginning of the 16th century. Coat of arms paintings of the Payr of Caldiff and Khuen mark their tombs on the north side of the nave. In 1767, the church was desecrated because the Trudner Bach, which had overflowed its banks, had destroyed a large part of the interior. As a result, it was used, among other things, as a storeroom. Around the middle of the last century, people became aware of the artistic value of the building, restored it, and consecrated it again. Today the church "Unsere Liebe Frau in der Vill" is considered one of the most beautiful late Gothic churches in the country.