Culture & Sights in the Dolomites Region Kronplatz

In Brunico’s school quarter, the UFO Youth Center was built in order to meet the needs of the young people who use it, including its unconventional architectural language. The roof structure, which is encased in titanium plates and glass, can also be reached via a seemingly weightless exterior steel staircase and effectively gives the impression that an unidentified flying object has landed on the four-story building. The underlying plastered solid structure, with its “skewed” two-story, steel-and-glass entrance building, evokes the curiosity to enter. The full-height window walls and bright spaces are meant to make teenagers feel at home inside the building. The covered terrace and the tiered seating directly in front are further invitations to settle in and stay awhile. Definitely a refreshingly relaxed architecture.

With its curved floor plan, the town hall of Brunico/Bruneck follows the course of the Europastrasse street, which in turn follows the riverbend of the Ahr around Schloss Bruneck castle. The building is intended to refresh the overall image of the city and to set a new urbanistic accent in an otherwise rather shapeless development. The building consists of four parts, which were loosely arranged around the town hall square, but nevertheless form a structural unit. With its 3,000 square metres, the square creates an open space that underlines the importance of the town hall. The square is one of three squares, all paved and without plants. Meusburger Platz is located between the school and the old gym and is equipped with stone columns. The school square also offers sports facilities.

The parish church in Valdaora di Sotto is one of the oldest of the occident. As district from other churches in the surroundings the mother parish church was able to preserve the baroque equipment.

The church St. Georg in Antholz Mittertal was rebuilt in 1798 to today's baroque church. It is assumed that Antholz Mittertal had already a church in the year 1000.

The Ursulinen school building was build at the start of the twentieth century by the Ursulin Tower on the main street. Next to the large, three-story building with its vertical plastered structure stands a significantly smaller new building with steel and glass facades emphasizing a horizontal effect, which not only seems much smaller than the old building − yet with more usable space! − it also reflects the listed facades opposite it. The glass cube in the new entrance to the school gives you a preview of the structure of the new building even before you have walked along the glass corridors to reach it. This successfully combines the different styles of architecture. The artist Manfred Alois Mayr put together a cheerful color palette for the interior of the new building, which sits in vibrant harmony next to white plaster and the grey exposed concrete.

This beverage company, which has been existence since 1919, is a return to the old town of Brunico/Bruneck. The historical building, which has Gothic elements, is listed. The facades have therefore been carefully renovated yet it has gained a new, distinct character through the addition of glass to the ground floor arches and the illumination at dusk. From the outside one can already sense the atmosphere inside, and the sales counter conveys a slight corner-shop feel to the place; the interior is however divided stylistically. In the front section there are bright shelves, while the section towards the back has a hint of luxury about it, with its antique furniture. The Harpf private drinking cavern, situated in the cellar and independent of the shop, has been superbly designed by the architects Ged Bergmeister and Michaela Wolf.

The Ragglmoos wetlands Located about 1 km east of the Casteldarne/Ehrenburg train station, the Ragglmoos wetlands are a humid biotope on the northern slope of Mount Kienberg. A true gem of nature nestled in the heart of a forest, their fauna is still relatively well preserved and deserves further protection to make sure this striking habitat lives on. Its mossy grounds are fed by seepage water, which collects on the hillside and flows out of the biotope on its western edge. Lined with pine trees, spruces, and birches, this low moor is very well embedded in its surroundings and consists of three different sections: The east is densely populated by sedges and peat mosses. In the drier central section, sedges and peat mosses share their habitat with purple moor grasses. Flanked by alders, the west is covered in reeds and some peat moss.

The Meizger-Stöckl, built in 1816, is a Mariahilf chapel in Antholz Niedertal.

The modern architecture of this free-standing building integrates well into the landscape. The three-part extension breaks up the mass of the building, creating a well-balanced link to the connecting older buildings. Between the seemingly closed office blocks with their wooden facades lies the glazed middle section of the three-part complex, which houses a spacious central entrance hall. The public service function of the building is thus emphasized, and the different departments are well connected by an extravagant stairway. Natural wood is the main material, which is deliberately set against color and white plaster.

Although the clear architecture language of the new building in the middle of St. Lorenzen does not attempt to hide when it was built, it fits well into the historical image of the place as a building representing the modern. It was placed near the church plaza, and closes the space. This has created two independent square areas which are however still in communication one with the other. The sheer volume of the town hall, which also houses the public library, corresponds with the size of the surrounding buildings. The design reflects our times through the materials used and the structure of the facade. Variously sized windows are found in the concrete construction, varying according to the function of the room, which creates a refined and lively variation of the building's ratios.

The former Realgymnasium high school which lies in the center of the old town was converted and extended for use as a satellite Brunico campus of the Free University of Bolzano focusing on tourism management, sport and events management. The large, angular old building was also carefully renovated. The smaller wing of the building received a new stairwell built from concrete, the inscription of which has become well known in the city. This welcoming inscription tablet, alongside two new sections of building, form a peaceful square that provides a welcome open space in the narrow old town. A new, large underground auditorium, which can also be used as a room for public events, is situated underneath. The structure of the old building is recognizable in the interior design to which modern details have been tastefully added. The teaching rooms are situated on the top floor.

The church of St. Andreas in Oberrasen was built in the 14th century, consecrated in 1422, expanded in the 17th century and re-arched. In 1959 it was broken off in order to create space for the contemporary, modern style of the church.

In a building in the old town on the biggest shopping street in Brunico/Bruneck, a glass right angle opens up allowing a view into the wide yet long, tube-like room which stirs you to enter the room. Apart from the floor, laid with square black slabs, the rest of the interior is completely white. Bright light and the back-lit walls made of white frosted glass make the small windowless room seem far larger and lighter than it actually is. The white furnishings including the counter and shelves seem inferior to the colorful things on offer here: in the front section of the shop Andreas Acherer's patisseries are on sale. These products have won awards many times in the Gambero Rosso guide. In the back section, separated for hygienic reasons, are artistic flower arrangements by Barbara Strondl.

In this museum, Reinhold Messner deals with the final aspect of the conflict between man and the mountains; the heritage of the mountains and the people who have lived in them since time immemorial.

The fifth Messner Mountain Museum was opened in summer 2011 in Bruneck Castle by the well-known mountaineer Reinhold Messner. There are countless exhibits from everyday life. With the interactive "MMM Mountain Peoples" project, Reinhold Messner aims not to "exhibit" people, but rather to invite them to take part in an exchange of experience with the local rural population.

Every year guests from another mountain region will spend the summer in the Messner Mountain Peoples Museum and talk about their way of life, accompanied by everyday cultural exhibits belonging to different mountain regions and their inhabitants, including the Sherpas, Incas, Tibetans and Mongolians.

Ticket prices:

Adults € 14,00, kids (6 - 14 years) € 6,00, students under 28 years and seniors over 65 years € 12,00, family ticket (1 adult + kids under 14 years) € 32,00, mini family ticket (1 adult + kids under 14 years) € 18,00, groups of 15 persons and more € 12,00, school classes (6 - 19 years) € 6,00

From 1230 forwards the castle was home to knights and caretakers in the Gader Valley, who were appointed by the Bishop of Brixen until 1803. Farmers inhabited it from that point on, until it was converted into the Museum of Ladin History and Culture, and was expanded. The central point of the information is, amongst others, the cave bear, Ursus ladinicus, for which a branch museum in St Kassian was created. A foyer area was added onto the castle with a bar and rooms for temporary exhibitions, area constructed from wood, steel and glass, which with its flat roof goes almost unnoticed next to the superior historical building, and is a good example of a timeless modern construction. Inside, robust wooden flooring and whitewashed walls create a neutral background for various exhibitions and floor-to-ceiling glass-paneled sections of the facade look out onto a gorgeous view.

The old Lippa sawmill from the 19th century is located in Oberolang, in an easily accessible location in the immediate vicinity of the Val Pusteria cycle path and the Olang nature and culture trail. It is the last remaining Venetian sawmill, which was restored and put back into operation in 2011 after it was last used in 1958. It is a unique testimony to the history of the Val Pusteria timber industry.

Guided tours are only possible in SUMMER! For more information, please contact the Valdaora/Olang tourist office.

In 1250, Bishop Bruno of Brixen founded Bruneck Castle, which served as his summer residence. The town that evolved below the castle walls took on its name. After an eventful history, having been used as a prison and as a school, today the castle houses the fifth Messner Mountain Museum, which focuses on mountain peoples. The historical structure was carefully excavated and restored. The rooms, however, were not sufficient to house the museum and so a section is housed underground, in spaces that were once part of the fortification walls. Modern architectural forms were used for all the additions and new buildings, with concrete, steel, wood and glass having been used as materials. Only the parts that had to be provided as temporary extensions, for example the cashier areas and rooms for temporary exhibitions, were consciously done in wood and may be dismantled at any time.

From an architectural standpoint, the climbing and bouldering arena in Brunico/Bruneck was designed to fit in with various existing, largely heterogeneous buildings. With a powerful and independent architectural language, the arena stands in contrast to the natural and already existing environment as constructed. The large variation in height and room depth as well as the arrangement of the inner courtyard and the outdoor climbing area result in high-quality outdoor spaces, which nevertheless appear as a coherent, interconnected building formation. The back of the building has no openings, while the facades facing the inner courtyard are glazed to the height of the building, as if opening themselves up to the visitor. The indoor climbing hall is highly recognisable and, despite its rocky structure, blends in well with nature and the landscape. The overall design is minimalist: sparse details and clear lines of concrete and local limestone.

SMACH Val dl'Ert is the public art park in the nature of San Martino in Badia winner of the special mention in the National Landscape Award 2023 awarded by the Ministry of Culture.
In the 24 hectares of pristine forest and pastures, the trail will lead you to discover 23 works that dialogue with the landscape and visitors.

The Val dl'Ert is conceived as a work in progress, in fact it is enriched with new works after each edition of the SMACH Biennale, which this year will open on July 8, 2023 presenting 10 new installations.

Admission is free and the park can be visited independently every day of the year. You can also contact SMACH for individual or group guided tours.

While nursing homes were formerly often pushed “into the green” on the outskirts of the village, it was decided in Valdaora/Olang to attach the elderly to the major facilities within the town center, where the school, kindergarten and other public institutions are to be found. The new nursing home has become an important meeting point. The four-story, wood-paneled structure houses two nursing units with 20 beds and associated spaces. Around the spacious foyer on the ground floor there is a café, a chapel, and a multipurpose room for events. In addition, an outpatient medical clinic and the offices of the district community are housed here. Glazed notches across the entry hall provide for good illumination; a partition of a pleasantly light, inviting architecture further emphasizes this impression through color, light natural stone and wood.

The medieval Schoneck Castle is located 958 meters above sea level and is said to be the birthplace of the famous poet and playwright Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445), although this has not been historically proven . It is believed that the ruins of Pacherhof, birthplace of famous artist and sculptor Michael Pacher, are also nearby. Schöneck Castle was built in the mid-13th century by the Dukes of Rödeneck; The first mention of this complex dates back to 1155 and 1164.

Over time, it became the property of the Tyrolean counts, and Engelmar von Willanders later became the owner of the Schoneck estate. Today, not only the cathedral is preserved, but also fragments of the palace, ruins of the chapel and fragments of the historic wall. In the ruins of the castle chapel there is also a fresco by master Michael Pacher. The castle is private property and inaccessible. Today, there is also a restaurant of the same name nearby.

The castle is private property and may not be entered.

The available land near the old town is constricted, and offers only limited space for gardens. Terraces were thus put in on each floor of the three-story, compact building, creating individual, protected recreational areas. By the use of traditional materials, a simple and functional plastered solid construction was built, in which an old architectural element was reinterpreted with glass bay windows on the front of the rooms. A contemporary modification of traditional motifs and materials is repeated several times in this building, so that the elderly may find a certain feeling of familiarity in their new surroundings. Most importantly an attempt was made to meet the needs of dementia patients by grouping their rooms around easily manageable common areas.

The foursquare chapel near the court Wirther in Rasun di Sopra dates back to the 16th century.

Embedded within the summit of Mount Kronplatz at 2.275m, the Messner Mountain Museum Corones explores the traditions, history and discipline of mountaineering. The majority of the museum’s exterior and interior panels are made from in-situ concrete. The museum is arranged over several levels to reduce its footprint. During construction, 4,000 cubic meters of earth and rock was excavated and then replaced above and around the completed structure – immersing the museum within Mount Kronplatz and helping to maintain a more constant internal temperature. From the topmost level that houses the entry area, stairways lead like waterfalls over three exhibition levels all the way to the bottom. At the lowest floor, visitors pass by glass-enclosed viewing windows and arrive at a terrace that is nearly 40 square meters, from which they are able to enjoy a 240° panorama from the Zillertal Alps to the Ortles-Ortler to the Dolomites.

The landscape is nestled in a fairytale white: deep snow makes the rugged peaks and rocks of the Dolomites appear soft and gentle, while forests and meadows on the slopes and in the valley lie under a deep blanket of snow. After dusk falls, silence settles over the landscape, and the stars sparkle on the horizon. Christmas lights illuminate the streets, and in the wooden objects of the "holzART" exhibition, twinkling stars, glowing angels, and shining hearts appear with a gentle glow, while Mitterolang Park also shines in a particularly atmospheric light: welcome to the Dolomites.Light.Zoo.

Here, the magical winter landscape of the Dolomites is reflected. Twelve corten steel steles, crafted by local artisans in the shape of our Dolomites’ peaks, create an interactive light path and offer a unique way to experience the wildlife of the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park. Take your time to immerse yourself in this idyllic scene and explore the park's wildlife.

A journey through the wildlife of the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park for young and old alike.

The peasant chapel at the Pfaffinger (near the court Linde) is a modest building and was built in the 19th century.

Cast in classy bronze, the panorama relief around the bell is made up of 24 segments stretching as far as 36 m. At the front, you can see the most important peaks visible from Mount Kronplatz and their height as well as the direction in which some key European cities lie.

biotope with a special animals and plants - descriptions during the walk

The City and University Library in Brunico stands on an awkward construction site between single-family homes and the backs of buildings, and is also separated from the new town hall square – a subordinate position within the urban fabric for a culturally significant building. Between the heavy buildings, however, the architects have managed to insert some architectural freshness: open, transparent, timeless, modern without trendy flourishes, and with variable internal surfaces for variable use. The result is a visually light concrete structure that seems to float on its slender columns above the covered vestibule. The building features floor-to-ceiling glass facades and a shed roof above the uppermost terrace, in front of the meeting rooms. Inside there is only one solid core, while the rest of the floor plan are free surfaces that can be separated with shelves, glass walls and movable dividers. The color scheme is fresh, providing for a lively atmosphere.

Situated in the Dolomites amongst the protected Viles (Ladin hamlets), this residential home stands at 1,200 meters above sea level. The house, divided into a home and a separate holiday apartment, has borrowed the wooden-clad building style of the traditional Paarhöfe (pairs of residential and farming buildings) and was carefully built on the steep meadow. The concrete construction remains visible in the interior of the building, smoothed and painted white, and the exterior is covered in darkly varnished wood. Hand-fashion, untreated, matured pine wood from the local area was used for the interior. The house is completely self-sufficient in terms of energy: it has its own source of water, geothermal power, and uses solar energy collected by solar panels integrated into the roof. The chalet has been awarded many prizes.