Culture and attractions in Algund/Lagundo

In the eastern part of the Lagundo "Garden Village", bordering the Merano district of Quarazze (Gratsch), lies the Lagundo district Paese (Dorf). The old Sant'Ippolito and Erardo Parish Church is found here. First documented in 1200, the church features three distinct architectural styles - Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque. The church holds many valuable treasures of art, both internally and externally, all of which testify to the turbulent political and cultural history of Tyrol. Between 1618 and 1628 a new Early Baroque nave designed by the architect Francesco Lucchese was added to the parish church. The church is closed because of restoration work.

Lordly towers, historical pinnacles and arcade windows.
Schloss Plars evokes tradition and combines the charming ambiance of old times with the stylish appeal of modernity, while love for details and a perceptible sense of well-being give an extra touch to the special atmosphere of the place. 

From april to October there is a wine educational trail - a guided tour with a visit to the wine cellar and a wine tasting session.

You can book the tour at the winery "Schloss Plars" until the day prior to your visit. Phone: 0039 0473 448 472 or E-Mail: info@schlossplars.com.

Price: EURO 15 per Person (free for children/youths under the age of 16)

Visitors to the breathtaking Merano valley can enjoy the unique beauty of a place where nature and a masterful human touch come together to create extraordinary harmony.
Just outside Merano, on the way to the Val Venosta, a complex of buildings perfectly kept within their surroundings catches the eye. They are decorated in a graceful, highly tasteful manner and almost blend in with the flourishing local vegetation. Anyone who is curious enough to ask for the name of this “village” – because that´s what it looks like at first – will simply receive the answer “That’s FORST”. It is not called the “beer factory” or the “brewery”, but “FORST”. The name is inherently linked with the local area. It stands for tradition and love for nature, but also for striving to ensure that the quality of its products remains consistently high. Traditional and modern values go hand in hand, making positive contributions to each other: this is the guiding concept of FORST.

The visits of the FORST Brewery are held every Wednesday from April to October at 14.00 o’clock in German language and every Thursday from June to September always at 14.00 in Italian. There is no guided tour in English available. Participation is possible by prior telephone arrangement at 0039 0473 260111, registrations by e-mail cannot be considered.

The local parish priest, Anton Martin Schenk, had the Santissima Trinità (Church of the Holy Trinity) built in the Velloi (Vellau) district in 1742. The church soon became too small for the growing population of the village and was extended by local peasants, completed between 1894 and 1895. Only then Velloi could accommodate its priest for the first time. The latest restoration of the small church was in 1975.

In front of the Lagundo Tourist Office near Merano (Meran) there are exact replicas of Menhirs (tall, upright stones) discovered during excavations of the area in the 1990s. The stones form part of the remnants of a cult originating from the Illyrian and Ligurian settlement 3,000 years ago. The petroglyphs found on the stele are similar to the design of the tattoos found on the skin of Ötzi the Iceman. The originals are preserved at the Civic Museum in Bolzano (Bozen).

To the right-hand side of Tyrol in Lagundo is a small fortress - the Forst Castle. It was built in the 13th century and first documented in 1302. The building was later extended in the 16th century. In 1880 it was restored for the second time by the Lords of Vorst, noble officials from Tyrol. The current owners of the castle are from the Forst brewery, located just a few metres away. Sadly, the castle is not open to the public but it can still be admired from the outside.

The San Giuseppe Parish Church is one of the most beautiful and modern churches in the Alps and is a fine example of contemporary architecture. The church was built and designed by the famous architect Dr. Willy Gutweniger between 1966 and 1971. It represents a successful attempt to combine ancient and modern architecture and it is important that visitors allow themselves enough time to understand the rich symbolic language of the building. The church opened on March 13, 1977 in the presence of the Bishop of the Diocese at the time, Dr. Josef Gargitter. Further information and images of the church and its furnishings are available at the vicarage and in the Tourist Association. Guided tours are held every Thursday at 5pm (except when funerals are held), from Easter to All Saints Day (November).
The church is opened daily from 7am to 7pm.

In the vineyards above the village this structure comprising four staggered terraces, was graded into the hillside. The building was integrated so harmoniously into the vineyards that it has become a part of them. This integration is still underlined by the dry-stone retaining walls, which likewise carry forward the vineyard structure. The building’s concrete structure remains invisible, covered by wooden paneling and by the wooden grating set in front of portions of the glass facades. Floor-to-ceiling glazing of the spaces lends the terraces a transparency, covered by the wooden pergolas, with the shadowy effect of over-grown foliage. The reception and breakfast room, paneled entirely in wood, are good examples of a modern interpretation of rural Stube parlors. The apartments are also of high aesthetic quality.

Not far from the San Giuseppe (St. Joseph) Parish Church in Riomolino (Mühlbach) is the early Gothic church of St. Mary and the adjacent Maria Steinach Convent. These were built in 1241 by Countess Adelaide, the daughter of Alberto, Count of Tyrol. Legend has it that two doves appeared to show where the Countess should build the convent. During the reign of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, the convent was closed. It was re-opened in 1848 by the Dominican Nun´s Order of Linz.

In 1776, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria built a masonry embankment in Lagundo near Merano. This was meant to serve as protective bulwark against flooding of the Adige River. This masonry can still be visited today. Not far away, on the left bank of the river, are the ruins of an ancient imperial Roman road bridge along the route of the original "Via Claudia Augusta". Construction of the bridge dates to the first century AD. Today, the ruins of the bridge have the status of protected monuments. At the head of the bridge there is also a small shrine and chapel.

Nature Park

On the road again …in South Tyrol’s largest nature park! Discover breath-taking flora and fauna!

The Texel Group Nature Park stretches over an area of around 33,430 hectares and is South Tyrol’s largest nature park. It reaches from the Schnals Valley and Passeier Valley to the main Alpine ridge. During your discovery trips in the nature park, you will be able to see many examples of breath-taking flora and fauna. South Tyrol’s largest nature park is home to numerous warm-loving animals such as the cliff swallow (this is the most northerly place where they can be found), mantis, squirrels and ravens. The difference of altitude inside the nature park can be as much as 3,000 metres, which opens the spectrum of animals you might be able to see. You can even find the emerald lizard here, as well as the asp viper. The Texel Group Nature Park contains a lot of water, which is partly due to the holding capacity of loose rocks, but also because of the glaciers’ melting waters. In addition, it gives us the largest high-Alpine lake collection, the Sprons Lakes, which consist of 10 individual lakes. Another attraction is the 97 metre high Partschins waterfall. At the Nature Park House in Naturns, you can find extensive information about the nature park. It is highly recommended that you check out the circular hiking trail of the Meran High Mountain Road, one of the most beautiful, high-Alpine hiking trails in Europe, with fantastic panoramic views.

Located on the left bank of the Adige River in the direction of Val Venosta (Vinschgau) valley, there is an accumulation of rubble from Plars. The villages of Plars di Mezzo (Mitterplars) and Plars di Sopra (Oberplars) are found here, as well as the beautiful Late Gothic Church Sant'Ulrico, surrounded by orchards and vineyards. The church was first documented in 1493, although it was most likely built even earlier. At the time, the church belonged to the Bavarian monastery of St. Mang in Füssen. The external frescoes on the southern side of the church are particularly worth visiting.

Visitors to the breathtaking Merano valley can enjoy the unique beauty of a place where nature and a masterful human touch come together to create extraordinary harmony.

Just outside Merano, on the way to the Val Venosta a Lagundo, a complex of buildings perfectly in keeping with their surroundings catches the eye. They are decorated in a graceful, highly tasteful manner and almost blend in with the flourishing local vegetation. Anyone who is curious enough to ask the name of this “village” – because that is what it looks like at first sight – will simply receive the answer “That’s FORST”. It is not called the “beer factory” or the “brewery”, but “FORST”. The name is inherently linked with the local area. It stands for tradition and love for nature, but also striving to ensure that the quality of its products remains consistently high. Traditional and modern values go hand in hand, making positive contributions to each other: this is the guiding concept of FORST.

The visits of the FORST Brewery are held every Wednesday from April to October at 14.00 o’clock in German language and every Thursday from June to September always at 14.00 in Italian. There is no guided tour available i English. Participation is possible by prior telephone arrangement at 0039 0473 260111. There is also a shop in the brewery, where you can buy souvenirs.

The Rio di Lagundo (Aschbach) district is separated from the rest of the city. It is located on Mount Tramontana (Nörderberg) in Val Venosta (Vinschgau) valley, forming a small enclave between the towns of Parcines (Partschins) and Plaus. Rio Lagundo can be reached by cable car and of course also by car. Particularly worth visiting is the Maria della Neve Church (Our Lady of Snow) and the Santissimo Cuore di Gesù (Sacred Heart of Jesus). The small Maria della Neve Church was built in 1695 and stands on top of a hill. In 1889, a larger church was built and dedicated to the Santissimo Cuore di Gesù (Sacred Heart of Jesus).

The alpine dairy of Lagundo offer a rich assortment of local products like cheese, milk, fresh cream, butter and cottage cheese.

All products are high quality and have an unique natural taste. The clients, residents and guests, are enthusiastic of our products. We supply more than 40 shops in Merano every day.

We invite you to visit our shop.

There is a very special vantage point in "Hochkreuz" in Lagundo, located on the popular Via Claudia Augusta bicycle path: the Trauttmansdorffer Throne. The view of Merano and the surrounding area, including Forst Castle (and the brewery with the same name) and one of the most modern churches in the entire Alpine region, the San Giuseppe Parish Church, is breathtaking in its splendour. Ideal for photographs and an absolute must-see for every tourist in Merano. Especially cyclists often stop here for a break to enjoy the view with a picnic before continuing their journey towards Val Venosta (Vinschgau) valley or Merano. Visitors can see the famous Botanical Gardens at the Trauttmansdorff Castle with binoculars. This observation deck is the ideal starting point for a visit to the Botanical Gardens of the Trauttmansdorff Castle.

Our pastor, Mr. Florian Pitschl, is pleased to meet you for consultation at the parish office.
(Every monday and friday or at an arranged time)

Waalwege are paths along the ancient irrigation channels. The Algunder Waalweg Trail is split in two parts. The 5 to 6 km long hike leads along an historical irrigation canal. The canal trail is almost flat. It is therefore ideal for older people or families with children. Hikers, young or old, will be rewarded with fantastic views of the Lagundo/Algund as well as the entirety of Merano/Meran and Environs. Route: the western part begins at the parking lot in front of the Töllgraben bridge. The starting point can be reached by bus Lagundo-Parcines/Partschins or by car. The canal trail leads via the two districts of Lagundo, Plars di Sopra/Oberplars and Plars di Mezzo/Mitterplars to the scenically located Lagundo village. From here, continue through beautiful vineyards to the Merano district of Quarazze/Gratsch and the small St. Magdalena Church. Depending on how much you want to hike, you can continue on the Tappeinerweg trail into the centre of Merano or back to Lagundo. Source/Map: “Kompass, Merano and Environs”

Merano, Lagundo - Direction Plars di Sopra