Endroits à visiter dans le Sud-Tyrol

The Mortner Gufl is located on the old Steinegger carriage road, which at that time connected Steinegg|Collepietra with Kardaun|Cardano and Bozen|Bolzano.  About 500 m from the farm Mortner in the direction of Kardaun, there is an extensive, flat square with a thick stone slab hanging over it, as if it wanted to provide a protective roof for the little place. It is said that a hermit, the Mortner Hias, lived here during the First World War. He even set up a farm oven in this natural dwelling and walled the place up. The hermit wove baskets here. During the Second World War, this place was used as an air-raid shelter for the inhabitants of the nearby farm Mortner. Some remains of the wall can still be discovered and admired today.
In 1951, there is also said to have been an apparition of the Virgin Mary at this special place.
A descriptive board on site tells of these extraordinary occurrences at the Mortner Gufl.
Route description:
From the car park at Cafè Christl, walk past the Resch Market grocery shop along hiking trail [2] / Rittersteig. Continue along the Rittersteig past the Ebenhof farm until you reach the turnoff to the Mortner farm. Here you walk a short distance in the direction of Mortner farm and then immediately turn left to Mortner Gufl.
The way back is via the same path.

On the "Missensteinjoch" on Meran 2000 a cross reminds on the killed people during the 2nd world war.

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.

Short hike or pleasant walk around the Pstosser Bühel in the immediate vicinity of the centre of Collepietra/Steinegg.

An open-air exhibition with 10 picture panels on astronomical topics was installed along the path around the Pstosser Bühl [2B].
With the current exhibition (since May 2022), the visitor dives into the depths of the universe. "Fly to the universe" shows deep-sky photography starting from the Max Valier Observatory to the distant corners of the universe. The photographers of this exhibition are Stephanie Wolters, Brigitte Lintner and Dieter Seiwald from the amateur astronomers "Max Valier".

An additional highlight on this short walk is a mountain cinema with the most beautiful views on the Renon/Ritten, the Valle d'Isarco/Eisack Valley, the Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm, the Sciliar/Schlern and the Catinaccio/Rosengarten.

The Peststöcklein of Steinegg|Collepietra stands directly on the old road from Steinegg|Collepietra to Bozen|Bolzano, about 2 km from Steinegg (25 minutes' walk). It is a tabernacle wayside shrine with a shingle roof from the second quarter of the 15th century. The pictures in the 4 shallow round arch niches show the crucifixion group on the front, the Annunciation of Mary with a St. Bishop on the left and St. Christopher on the right. The frescoes were restored several years ago.

The earth pyramids near Collepietra are a fascinating natural display of erosion at work. To get to these hoodoos, start at Collepietra and take an 2-hour hike (following the marking "Yellow Pyramids")

The Rienza ravine, a wild-romantic gorge with former power plant (not open for visits).

The basin of Sterzing was once covered with an enormous swamp that extended towards the south to Trens and towards the east to Wiesen. The basin of Sterzing was once covered with an enormous swamp that extended towards the south to Trens and to the east to Wiesen. It was the bottom of a lake that had formed in prehistoric times, fed by local springs, which became a swamp and gradually emptied. The legend that surrounds the Swamp of Sterzing is still told: In ancient times it frequently happened that young women's beauty went to their heads. Regardless of whoever asked their hand in marriage, nobody seemed to be good enough for them. But as the years passed, their beauty waned and they became horrible old maids. In order to punish them for being so pride, they were exiled to live in the Sterzing Swamp, where they cried bitterly for not having wed; and their laments can still be heard today: "hätt' i's gwaggt, hätt' is gwaggt..." (if only I had accepted, if only I had accepted), which only foreigners confuse with the croaking of the frogs, but they are actually the lamenting cries of the old maids.

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).

Along the stream near the hamlet of "Burgum" you can hear the whisper of one of the most beautiful natural monuments in the region. When the sunlight shines on it, uncountable cascades of a filigree waterfall shine in numerous beautiful colours. Between the cascades a dark olive-green moss grows, saturated with crystal clear and fresh water. It is tough to decide from which angle you have the best view of the waterfall. A few years ago, this spring waterfall was placed under conservation and is now a natural monument that should not be missed. Take the chance and come to rest and dream in this magical place. This natural monument can be found in the wooded Burgum valley on the way to the hut “Sterzinger Hütte” on path nr. 2.

 

Located at 2,050 m a.s.l. at the end of the Antholz valley, it invites you to undertake numerous activities the whole year round: We are talking about the mountain pass called Staller Saddle. Only 4 km from the Lake Antholz, the well-known alpine pass not only connects our Blue Valley with the valley called Defereggental in East Tyrol, but it also links the Riserferner-Ahrn Nature Park with the Hohe Tauern National Park. This turns the area into a real heaven for adventurous excursions and exploratory tours! In summer you can look forward to view-rich hiking tours which allow you to cross borders, while in winter the closed pass road becomes a winter hiking trail with tobogganing opportunities leading to the Lake Antholz or lake Obersee, all of which provide unforgettable memories.

Once you are here, take a hike through the Sommersürs biotope, also called Samesirs, located in a basin between the villages of Naz and Fiumes/Viums. The small habitat of little more than 2 hectares is a biotope of diverse fauna and flora. It is an invaluable refuge for numerous aquatic insects and birds, along with amphibians and reptiles. Cattail, sedge, and marsh clover populate the shallow lake shore.

Other nature habitats in the Natz-Schabs holiday region include Raiermoos, Zussis and Laugen.

The tour leads through the village of Natz and then turns right onto the Villages round trip [Dörferrunde] through the Fruhnwald forest up to the Waldertor viewpoint. Past Viums and the Viummer Kreuz cross, the route leads mainly through forest paths up to Schabs. Continue through the village trip through forest and later through orchards and then go left along the Villages round trip, up to the Flötscher Weiher pond. At the Seehof Hotel, cross the road and continue through meadows and woods, always
along the signposted road to Raas. Continue through the cultural grounds passing the water reservoir back to the street towards Natz. Follow the street to the right, at the Laugen sports field following the sign Dörferrunde. From here, the Villages round trip leads back to the starting point.

This small church is located about 10 minutes walk from the town center in the upper part of Collepietra. The simple construction of the chapel was erected in 1797 presumably in thanksgiving to the Madonna for the victory in a battle against the French. Next to it is the particular column (Bildstock) "Weißes Bild" built in 1523.

 

 

Hiking up to see the Stoanernen Mandln, which translates roughly to ‘Men of Stone’, is quite a popular excursion.

The stone men are located atop a remarkable knoll on Alpine pasture and tower at an elevation of 2,000 metres above the municipality of Tschögglberg mountain plateau, looking out over the Sarentino Alps. Human figures made of stone such as these can also be found in other parts of South Tyrol: they served as a landmark frequently or were simply built by shepherds to pass the time.

Prehistoric flint tools and stone carvings have been found at the Stoanernen Mandln, however, demonstrating that this stone knoll has served as a passage from the Adige Valley into the Sarentino Valley for millennia.

Mythology and Witchcraft:
Myriad tales are linked to this place. In early modern times, people believed witches met with the devil up there, celebrating wild festivals, changing the weather, and sending strong thunderstorms down into the valley.

Tip: Sunrise and sunset hikes.

On this experience trail you will come across 6 informative stations that have been set up at special energy spots.
Which animals and plants are essential for our bees and where do they find their well-being on certain days and at certain times of the year? The bee in the meadow, the bee at the pond, the bee in the pasture and at the former forest border - special energy places for our indispensable helpers are pointed out.
The focus is not exclusively on the honey bee - visitors also get an insight into the exciting and very different life of the wild bee.
At the beekeeper's house, everyone has the opportunity to take a closer look at the hustle and bustle in a beehive on the display honeycomb.
From mid-May until the end of September, guided walks are also offered here every Tuesday. Our guides will specifically show you the power spots that can be found here in nature. The special characteristics of wild bees and honey bees are compared in detail and also looked at.
Of course, a visit to the wild bee hotel and the beekeeper's house is also part of the experience. To round off the experience, a honey tasting is not to be missed.

Bookings for the guided tour:
+39 0471 619560 or online: BeeForest

the little chapel Kasererbild is situated between the villagges of Collepietra and San Valentino in Campo

 

The Resciesa Alp is part of the Dolomites - UNESCO World Heritage and a popular excursion destination for everyone. Hikers, families, hobby photographers, bikers and connoisseurs are taking advantage of this unique space in the middle of Nature park Puez - Odle. The natural park with an area of ​​over 10,000 ha is bordered in the north by Passo delle Erbe and in the south by Passo Gardena; in the east the area reaches Val Badia, in the west into Val di Funes up to  Val Gardena. The northern part of the area is dominated by the Aferer and the Funes Odle and the Sas de Pütia, the southern the plateau of Gherdenacia, Sassongher, Puez with Vallunga and the Cir Group.

 

Brick shrine on the way to St. Magdalena which was build in 1636.

Following repeated floods, a monument in honour of St. John Nepomuk (1350-1393) was erected in 1739 in Sterzing / Vipiteno. He is venerated as the protector of waters and bridges and is invoked when there is danger of flood. According to the legend, St. John Nepomuk, who came from the Bohemian town of Pomuk, refused to reveal the confessional secrets of the Bohemian queen. The king ordered him to be drowned in the Moldavian river. For this reason he is venerated as the protector of waters and bridges and is invoked when there is danger of flood.

Like the village of Tablà, Stava was also a separate municipality in the past. In 1928 the village was joined with the municipality of Naturno. Today Stava has around 360 inhabitants. Even in the Middle Ages Stava was renowned for its hospitality. There was even a health resort in the "Bad Kochenmoos" inn which provided hospitality to illustrious guests taking a break from the exertions of their travels.

castel builded on 1580 - today it is a hotel - special is the "stube" - livingroom with the fenomenal wood wall

You can find the history stones at the road of meditation. The "Schalensteine" - history stones discovered the priest Küer. They are one of the most ancient sings of habitation at Sesto / Sexten.

A cozy themed trail for everyone, leads trough for meadows and forests. From San Genesio over the Salten until Tschaufen will have 9 play and activity stations and interesting information
boards around Haflinger horses and larch trees.

[[For the "Gasthaus Hippolyt: https://gasthaus-hippolyt.it, Tel. 0039 0473 42 00 37]]

The St. Hippolyt church in the north of the municipality of Tisens/Tesimo, near the village of Völlan/Foiana and above Lana, dominates the hill of St. Hippolyt in Naraun/Narano, which is visible from afar. 

This is not only a popular and easily accessible excursion site, whose panorama from the mountains of the Texelgruppe all the way down to Bolzano is second to none, but also an ancient settlement and cult site. Finds of Neolithic arrowheads, blades and mortars show that people were already living here in the 4th millennium BC, almost 6,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest prehistoric settlement sites in South Tyrol. There is also evidence of a prehistoric sanctuary on the hill.

The little church of St. Hippolyt was first mentioned in 1288, but is probably much older - not least because of its rare patron saint. Parts of the nave walls and the offset round apse still bear witness to the Romanesque church. The two pointed-arched slit windows and the likewise pointed-arched entrance door with rosette in the west were created during reconstruction work in the Gothic period. Towards the end of the 17th century, the tower was added (a votive picture from 1679 still shows the church without a tower, but with a choir bell wall). The bell was cast in 1566 by Simon Hofer and is thus the oldest surviving bell in the parish. The barrel vault in the nave was inserted in 1762 (see date on the triumphal arch). 
Inside the church, the altar and the pulpit date from the 2nd half of the 17th century, the statues of St. Isidore and St. Roch, as well as the image of St. Hippolytus from the 2nd half of the 18th century. 

As Saint Hippolyt is also venerated as the patron saint of the weather, ringing the bells in thunderstorms were once part of the duty of the sacristan of St. Hippolyt in Naraun. Due to the exposed location of the church, however, lightning strikes occurred time and again. Since the 17th century, no fewer than six deaths during weather ringing have been recorded in the parish's death register, which is why the little church was given the nickname "Zum bösen Segen" (to the evil blessing). 

The church is only open on certain holidays. However, the hill offers a wonderful panoramic view all year round.

The path of reflection to the Luminous Rosary and in memory of Pope John Paul II, built in 2010, leads to the church. Six bronze reliefs with the mysteries of the Luminous Rosary and a portrait of the deceased Pope await the pilgrim on the way. They are works by the artist Robert Giovanazzi from Merano, which were realised by the art founders Stefan and Vinzenz Dirler, natives of Prissian/Prissiano.

This monument to the victims of the two World Wars features a beautifully hand-carved cross made by local artist Carlo Obwegs who learned the art of wood carving in the Gardena valley and perfected his skills in several foreign countries. The war memorial crucifix is often described as his most important work.

The Lago Gioveretto is an artificial lake in the Ortler Alps in South Tyrol. The reservoir has an area of 70ha, situated at an altitude of 1850m in Val Martello and is crossed by the river Plima. The storage capacity is 19.6million cubic meters. The reservoir is situated in the Stelvio National Park and is used for generation of energy. The associated hydroelectric power station is located in Lasa.

From June to September you are allowed to fish with a state licence. You can buy the ticket at the keeper of the dam.

Take a walk on the nature trail around the Raiermoos biotope, where you can hear the songs of rare bird types and spot a variety of wildlife. The Raiermoos habitat was originally a large lake that was formed about 12,000 years ago on clayey moraines. Here, primeval populations settled on stilt houses.
Today, the Raiermoos is a biotope and habitat for endangered flora and fauna. Reeds, cattails, rushes, and marsh trefoil surround the lake. It offers a sanctuary to frogs, newts, salamanders, and snakes. Many migratory birds
such as herons and storks find here a safe and peaceful place to stay.
Other nature habitats in the Natz-Schabs holiday region include Sommersürs, Zussis and Laugen.

From July to October there is on the biggest lake in South Tyrol, the lago Resia, "Ship Ahoy" with the "MS Hubertus"
While the ship that passeth away, idyllically situated on the turquoise blue lago Resia, passengers have views of the impressive mountain panorama.
Captain Winkler informed about the natural beauty around the 6 km long reservoir and are legends and stories about the sunken villages for the best.

The Wandelhalle was originally erected in the 1860s, to provide sheltered seating for visitors. It was meant to provide shelter and thus to enable visitors to enjoy the sunshine and the mild local climate even in winter. The Wandelhalle quickly became a popular gathering spot and was enlarged in 1891. There are busts of distinguished citizens in the middle section or Ehrenhalle (hall of honour), while the side walls are adorned with landscape depictions by such stellar artists as Franz Lenhart, Rudolf Complojer and Peter Demetz.

A Rosetta Stone depicting the Persian god of light Mithras was found near Mules in 1589. The original is conserved at the Bozen Archaeological Museum, while a copy is exhibited in the internal courtyard of the Sterzing City Hall, where there is also a Roman Milestone of Septimius Severus (approximately 200 A.D.), which was discovered in Sterzing in 1979.