Culture et curiosités de Bolzano et de ses environs

The Renon earth pyramids are the highest and the most aesthetically pleasing in Europe. Earth pyramids are a phenomenon of erosion. They originate where ice-age glaciers have deposited moraine clay in valleys. When it is dry, it is rock-hard. If it comes into contact with water, it turns into a clayey pulp that flows down into the valley. However, when protected from the rain by large stones, the clay remains dry and hard. Only the part around the stone erodes. This is how earth columns are formed and become higher each time it rains. If the top stone falls off the peak, the column is certainly doomed to a quick decline because the clay is exposed to the rain and then carried away by it. The earth pyramids on the Renon can be marvelled at in three ravines: in the Rio Fosco valley between Longomoso and S. Maria, in the Rio Rivellone valley below Soprabolzano and in the valley of the Rio Gasterer at Auna di Sotto.

The Romanesque church of St. Jacob on the Langfenn is located on the highest point of the plateau Salten (1525m). It stands on prehistoric ground and could probably tell exciting and captivating stories from the past . On the altar there are St. Jacob, the protector of the hikers, and the two patron saints of pest Rochus and Sebastian.

The children´s playground is open the whole year and you can find it after our swimming pool and opposite the Hotel Belvedere.

The Museum informs about movie- and tvtecnology of the local cinema’s history. It presents projection machines of the past, video cameras, editing machines, flatbed editors, projectors, films etc. as well as historic documents, posters and documentary films. It proposes also film festivals, conferences and didactic activities, castings.

Every day, you can climb another summit. You will definitely have to hike up the legendary Alpine rage on the "Hohen Reisch" if you want to be called a friend of South Tyrol. It is one of the most beautiful views of the Sarntal Alps, from where you can see the entire Dolomite group, as well as the Marmolata and the Ortler mountains. Even if the weather should not turn out good, a hiking trip to the "Stanernen Mandln" (stone men) is extrenely fascinating. There are more than one hundred, which have been built over time, and most of them are of an impressive height. They are like a group of soldiers.

Here, at an altitude of 2,000 meters, they say that more than 500 years ago, witches have performed their dances and celebrations with the Devil. There are terrible stories around, which talk about what happened during a thunderstorm and also about the eating of children etc. A legal document from 1540 states that Barbara Pachler was accused of meeting with devils and witches and the document is used to support the old stories. Ancient signs seem to prove that the outlook was used as a Celtic place about thousands of years ago.

The church from St. Georgen is situated on a very historical plateau close to Versein. Numerous findings from the Bronze Age testify the prehistoric settlement of this beautiful place. The carved Gothic altar is ornamented by the statues of Saint Georg, Saint Oswald and Saint Leonhard.

Archeological discoveries prove that settlements at Lavena date back to the Bronze Age, probably as a place of paga worship.

The lovely church beside Lavena is dedicated to St. Jacob, the patron of travellers and wayfarer. 150 years ago, Lavena was a frenquently visited merchant's and livestock market.

Today, Lavena has become tourist attraction and hiker's delight on the Salto high plateua in San Genesio.

The parish church Maria Himmelfahrt in Meltina/Mölten celebrates its patronage on August 15th. Of its original Romanesque structure, only the lower part of the bell tower is left. The church was Gothicised in the 15th century and extended in the Renaissance style in 1651. Particularly impressive are the coronation of Mary on the high altar (late Gothic) and the Gothic predella on the side altar representing the death of Mary (from Michael Pacher's school).

The children´s playground is open the whole year and you can find it behind our gym/climbing hall.

The church of Pineta is the youngest in the surroundings of Laives/Leifers. The building process began on 15th september 1963. Since building a church was extremely expensive, lots of people helped voluntarily. The first mess was celebrated in 1969, even though the church wasn't finished yet and there were no benches.  

The Romanesque St. Anna church, the cemetery church, is probably as old as the Pfarrkirche. On its wooden altar it accommodates a very precious sculpture: the Pieta cast out of stone (1440)

A paradise for excursions - do not miss walking on the Salto/Salten with its calming larch trees and the panoramic view on the Dolomites! 

The ruin of St. Valentine was the precurser of today's church in Salonetto/Schlaneid. The wooden church was build in the 8th century, but was replaced by a stone church just one century later. In the following 1000 years the church was architecturally changed multiple times, and completely renewed in 1770, when the church was replaced by a new one in the village center.

The town hall and neighboring extension of the church were conceived for a town building competition focused on restructuring the town center. The town hall is distinctly recognizable, with its tower and spacious square in front − identifiable features of the public building. The angular building has a north facing glass facade in front of which stands a row of pillars. These support the large overhang of the roof and are as high as the four-story building. The stone materials used for covering the facade were sourced locally from Europe's largest porphyritic stone deposit in Bolzano. Dark metal constructions for the window frames and exposed copper for the roof complete the selection of materials. Behind the main entrance the visitor is welcomed into a three-story high spacious atrium, which leads onto light rooms without a hint of claustrophobia.

The Church of Blessed Henry, patron saint of Bolzano/Bozen, is the youngest church in the district of Laives/Leifers. In 1853 donations were collected to make the construction possible. All donors were immortalized on a board in the church. In the church there are three altars, the picture of the high altar shows Blessed Henry. 

Apple in its most delightful form. On almost 1.000m above sea level you find the best apple juice from the montains in South Tyrol.

The Renon earth pyramids are the highest and the most aesthetically pleasing in Europe. Earth pyramids are a phenomenon of erosion. They originate where ice-age glaciers have deposited moraine clay in valleys. When it is dry, it is rock-hard. If it comes into contact with water, it turns into a clayey pulp that flows down into the valley. However, when protected from the rain by large stones, the clay remains dry and hard. Only the part around the stone erodes. This is how earth columns are formed and become higher each time it rains. If the top stone falls off the peak, the column is certainly doomed to a quick decline because the clay is exposed to the rain and then carried away by it.

The earth pyramids on the Renon can be marvelled at in three ravines: in the Rio Fosco valley between Longomoso and S. Maria, in the Rio Rivellone valley below Soprabolzano and in the valley of the Rio Gasterer at Auna di Sotto.

Beeswax products of beekeeping Erwin Wieser in San Genesio:

Candles in different forms and sizes, various table candles and tealights, carved candles with religious motives, lanterns, LED lanterns and much more!

Various hanging decorations with or without threads

Beeswax compresses

The St. Ulrich-Kirchlein in Gschleier gives hikers a beautiful view over the surrounding mountains. The originally very simple Romanesque construction was rebuilt in 1859. The altarpiece of the holy Bishop Ulrich was painted by the painter Psenner from Ums.

At St. Ulrich-chapel in Gschleier the hiker enjoys a magnificent view of the surrounding mountain world. The original simple Romanesque building was renovated in 1859. The altarpiece with Bishop Ulrich was painted by artist Psenner from Ums.

The church was first mentioned in 1237. The main patron is the Saint James the Greater, but the church was also dedicated to St. Barbara and St. Christopher. Originally, the little church was a Romanesque nave construction, which in the 15th century has been adjusted to the new gothic architectural forms. The old Gothic winged altar, also of the 15th century, is still preserved inside the church.

A place of energy with views of Sciliar, Catinaccio and Latemar.

Titschenwarte is an absolute insider’s tip and a pure place of energy: After a short hike you reach this unique viewpoint with breathtaking views of the Dolomites - Sciliar, Catinaccio and Latemar. The place invites you to linger and to reflect. As a special treat you will be offered a delicious glass of wine. Thanks to a generous benefactor!

The St. Valentine chapel in the Fraction Schlaneid was built upon request by the population in 1769 in a simple Baroque style. The ruins of the old Valentines church (exposed in 1990) are in the forest “Valteswald”  below the village. The altarpiece with the Bishop Valentin was made by Franz Unterberger from Cavalese. The Stations of the Cross were made in 1770 by Josef Sparer.

lat. JUGUM = YOKE formerly "Schweighof" - in the Middle Age hunting house of the local lords of Maultasch - behind the house you can see a grave that goes back to the migration period (300 - 500 a. Ch.). Beside is the 'Tschaufrer Weiher' - a biotope - once an artificial fish farm.

The Paul Schuster Bild on the only way from Vilpiano to Meltina is located sideways to Salonetto and was built in 1900 as a sign of gratefulness towards the protection of Mary.

This is an old and famous brewery in Bolzano Bozen, where you can taste and buy some special beers, such as "Batzen Hell" (blond beer, Vienna style), "Batzen Dunkel" (dark beer), "Batzen Weisse" (wheat beer), "Batzen Pils" and other kinds of beer.