Bezienswaardig Zuid-Tirol

The Carnic mountain ridge appears almost insignificant compared to the stately Dolomite rock towers on the opposite side of the Sesto valley. But this impression is deceiving! From Sesto, you can not only reach the Tre Cime Dolomiti, a popular and panoramic hiking and skiing area, but also the western foothills of a mountain range that stretches for over 100 km, almost to Villach in Carinthia. Interesting detail: The Carnic Alps were formed long before the Dolomites. Numerous fossil finds indicate a turbulent, geological past. However, the mountain range also has great historical importance, as it forms part of the Italian-Austrian border. Those who want to experience a border passing on high tracks can walk from the Monte Elmo peak (2,434 m) past the Helmhaus and along the ridge - with their left foot in Austria and the right one in Italy. This is also the starting point of the popular Carnic high route, also called the "peace route", which leads in eight to eleven days of walking to Arnoldstein in Carinthia.

Do not miss out! The 3 Zinnen Dolomites mountain cable cars organise spectacular sunrise walks to the Elmo peak during the summer months. Celebrate the dawn of the day with a mountain experience to satisfy all your senses!

The delightfully landscaped Weiher Bruggen Pond on trail no. 16 below Leadner Alm Mountain Hut in Vöran affords weary travellers a refreshing footbath and some peace and quiet.

In the summertime, little fish dash about in the water. The pond also makes an ideal habitat for frogs, toads and dragonflies. Benches around the pond invite hikers to linger and enjoy a lovely backdrop: spectacular views of the Ifinger Peak.

The Galgenbühel gravel bank near Windschnur, which is formed of ice and water, has regained its strategic importance of late.

Under the fascist regime which took hold in 1939, many bunkers were built into the Alpine Wall in order to secure the Italian border against the German Reich. This bunker will be transformed into an exhibition and venue. It also bears witness to a long-outdated strategic defence system.

The Kamper Weiher Pond (lake) is situated on the hiking trail n. 2 (from Hafling/Avelengo in direction to the Wurzer Alm Mountain Hut).

The Seceda area is located on the sunny side of Val Gardena, at the foot of the Natural Park Puez –Odle.

From the Seceda summit you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Dolomites and of all the mountains in South Tyrol.

Our area offers a great number of mountain huts and refuges where you can stop, refresh yourself and have a nice time.

Every single hut on Seceda has its very special charm and boasts a really distinctive atmosphere. An original wooden bench, a comfortable deck chair, a sunbathing terrace or a cosy "stube" - Seceda offers something for everyone. Skiers, snowboarders, hikers, paragliders but also families with children ... everybody meets on Seceda!

In Andriano there is a beautiful wooded area characterized by a strong presence of yew trees, which has been designated as a landscape protection zone.
Yew trees are found in communities with pines, hornbeams and black hornbeams, but also in pure, dark and dense stands, and offer an optimal habitat for many species of animals.
The yew forest with its numerous paths invites you to walk and relax.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Modern water use, using the example of the power plant "Schmelze", is clearly visible before the eyes and ears.

Further information to the water treasures of Dobbiaco: http://www.drei-zinnen.info/en/dobbiaco/dobbiaco/experiencing-dobbiaco/lago-di-dobbiaco-lago-di-landro-and-dobbiaco-water-treasures.html?_ga=1.243384837.1489106145.1483110301

A 1.4 m wide and almost 3.6 m deep glacier mill, which was eroded by glacier water, by rotating circles of co-moving stones of local rock.

From the village of Plata the path n° 6 proceeds towards “Pianlargo” until a chapel, where the path n° 5 leads down to the glacial mill. Time to walk ca. 30min.

Lo sapevi che il Lago di Carezza ha un fratello minore?

Seguendo il sentiero [12] attraverso la foresta del Latemar, si arriva a uno specchio d'acqua segreto: il Mittersee o Lago di Mezzo. Non appena la neve inizia a sciogliersi, dove in realtà c'è solo un prato, emerge un lago. Il lago è alimentato da sorgenti sotterranee e per un breve periodo in primavera invita i più avventurosi a fare un giro su una zattera e i più coraggiosi a immergere i piedi nell'acqua fresca a 8 gradi.

 

This section of the "Keschtnweg" leads from the Bilderburg Runkelstein in the provincial capital of Bolzano through the sun-drenched vineyards, past the beautiful wine farms, along the slopes of the Guntschnaberge to the mighty chestnut trees in Glaning and on over the low mountain range above the Etsch Valley to Terlan and Vilpian.

Distance: 27.5 km
Metres in altitude ascent: 1,446 m
Metres in altitude descent: 1,511 m
Average walking time: 9.40 hours

Route:
The hike begins at the car park or bus stop below Runkelstein Castle. From there you walk over a bridge and turn left, past allotment gardens, until you reach the valley station of the Jenesien cable car (currently closed). Continue on hiking trail no. 2, which leads very steeply over the access road to the Rafenstein castle ruins, past the Sandner Hof farm and after about 80 m you turn into hiking trail no. 1 B. The trail leads into the farmyards of Jenesien (currently closed). The trail leads to the farm access road above the church of St. Jakob im Sand.
Hiking trail 1A leads moderately steeply above St. Georgen. Now follow the narrow farm access road to the right and after about 100 m the hiking trail (5A) branches off to the left in the direction of Fagenbach and you reach the Winterle farm. Now follow trail no. 5, cross the country road and climb up a steeper section to Glaninger Straße. Then continue to the junction with trail no. 9. In a few minutes you reach the little church of St. Martin in Glaning.
From Glaning, you now hike in a westerly direction, branch off to the right (no. 11), cross the Mauritiusbach stream and from there descend again onto the asphalted road. Above the Noafer inn, follow trail no. 9 to the Schmalzhof farm and then follow the trail in a left-hand direction. After another short climb, you reach the main road again and follow it uphill for a short distance until you reach the "Moar in Rumsein" farm. Then follow trail no. 9 and after about 200 m of descent, always following the asphalt farm access road, turn right and descend over a few hairpin bends to a bridge. You then reach the Lanzoner Hof farm. Follow the road to the left for about 500 m until you reach the Wegscheider farm. The path now leads first to the right to a fenced water reservoir, then briefly uphill to a path on the left (signposted Terlan). Follow the signpost no. 8 B in the direction of Verschneid. Then turn left onto trail no. 4 A in a westerly direction until you reach the road to Mölten.

Note: If you do not want to descend to Terlan, you can choose trail no. 4 A here in a westerly direction to "Ober-Tschirggl", which then continues to Vilpian.

Now you begin the descent to Terlan. Follow the Mölten road to the left and then trail no. 4 to the right. Past the Liebeneich estate of the Counts of Enzenberg, the trail continues to the left to the Köstenholz estate and you reach the centre of Terlan.
The last section of the "Keschtnweg" now leads from the centre of Terlan to Vilpian. From the Terlan parish church, follow Kirchgasse on the right and turn left into Silberleitenweg (no. 4A). You quickly overcome the difference in altitude and then look out for trail marker no. 1 A, which continues to the left in a westerly direction. You now walk along the road from Vorberg until you reach Scholer Hof. From Scholer Hof, follow trail no. 1 A for a short distance and turn left onto trail no. 1. This leads to a fork in the road, where you can take the steep descent to the left down to the provincial fire brigade school (only for experienced hikers) or take the easy trail no. 1 down to the cable car valley station in Vilpian. Both paths take you to the centre of Vilpian.

With its typical flora and fauna, the Schwarze Lacke habitat on the Vigiljoch is a life-enhancing part of the landscape. Fish, frogs, newts and various aquatic insects live in the pond. There are also many dragonflies in the habitat.

The formation of the pyramids in Terento probably dates back to 1837. As a result of a strong storm, the Ternerbach River swept away 3 residential houses, 16 mills, 13 beaters, a smiths and a sawmill. 13 people died during this storm. It is very likely that the slope started to disintegrate as a result of this storm. Over the following decades, the erosion had an impact on two different types of debris: the classic pyramids were formed from the material mix with stone blocks; from the material containing no stone blocks only ravines and ridges were formed. Starting point: car park in the village center

At Hochhueben Hof farm in Partschins/Parcines, a feudal holding of the Salzburg Bishops dating to the 14th century, a Roman gravestone has been built into the front wall of the house on the right side next to the entrance. The officer Marcus Ulpius Primigenius of the customs station in Töll/Tell did this to immortalize his firstborn son Quintus Caecililus Eutropius, who died only 21 years and 11 months old.

The letters D.M. on the seal (Dis manibus– the gods of death) and the manner of execution of the lettering appear to date to the first half of the 2nd century AD.

Roman tombs and coins have also been found across the courtyard.

East of Aicha at an altitude of 700 m, lies the Köstental chestnut orchard in a conservation zone. During the Medieval Period, the chestnut (also known as the poor man’s bread) was a staple food of the population, but nowadays it is a soughtafter delicacy forming part of the classical South Tyrolean cuisine. Today, the traditional fruit is a rarity in the South Tyrolean cuisine and the highlight of the traditional Törggelen in the Eisacktal Valley.

North of Wolfsthurn Castle, on the hiking trail from Andriano to the Bittner farm, on a flat slope called Schlosspichl you will find a magnificent chestnut grove.
Chestnut trees of different ages stand on the green meadow and have a special aura due to their fresh, light green foliage. One large oak tree dominates the chestnut grove majestically, which thanks to its position is much warmer than the surrounding forest and radiates vitality through its radiant colours.

A place to fall in love! A place that allows hikers to rest and that is a natural playground for children.   From the chestnut grove a short path leads to a small hill with a cross and several benches, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of Andriano and the Adige valley.

Natural spectacles awaken the curiosity and fantasy of kids. In Lana and its surroundings you can not only find phenomenal mountains, but also waterfalls, that can easily be reached via short hiking paths. The whole family will enjoy a visit to the waterfall at the Brandiswaalweg.

Registered as a natural monument since 1979 with the Provincia Autonoma of Bolzano Department of Nature, Landscape and Spatial Development.

The reason for protection is the great age of the tree and its aesthetic peculiarity.
The chestnut is located directly at the Happichlhof (Happichl Inn) in Rabland/Rablà in Geroldstraße/Via Gerold and can be visited during a hike along the Rablander Waalweg/sentiero della roggia di Rablà (irrigation channel).

According to the owner, the roots reach under the adjacent barn of the Happichlhof (distance 10 m).

As a result of its free standing, it was able to develop unconfined.
The trunk divides into two main branches at a height of 6 m.

From Narano en route to St. Hippolyt, the Narauner Weiher pond is located in a small clearing at the foot of a climbing wall and prehistoric cult site. The slightly dark pond is a habitat for frogs and ideal for a healthy natural pool. Many legends have arisen around the small Narauner Weiher pond.

Nowadays a sustainable handling towards nature and environment includes not just the protetion, but also the taking care of precious cultivated landscapes.  Wetlands such as the biotope Laugen fulfill a variety of landscape- ecological functions. They mean scenic wealth and represent a useful habitat for a multitude of endangered species of plants and animals. The biotope also provides an ideal resting place for migratory birds.

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

 

No-one has yet been able to explain exactly the function or the reason why ancient man hollowed out identations in the rock face know as "Schalensteine", although thousand of pages have been written on this subject. In the Vinschgau and neighbouring valleys hundreds of "Schalensteine" can be seen. They vary in size from minute hollows to hollows the size of a human cranium. Some possibile theories of their use are that they were places of workship, guiding points for travellers or possibly that the hollowing out of the stone face was for ritualistic or medical purposes.
Route description
Start at the village square in Castelbello, pass by Castelbello Castle, go to the Latschander irrigation channel path and follow it until the junction for Laces. There is the access to the nature's myths path. The first section of the myths path takes you on path no. 8 towards Montetrumes. The path leads through Douglas firs, Austrian pines and locust trees before you reach the so-called "Luamer Tschött" pond and the cupstone after some 30 minutes. Soon afterwards, the path branches off to the right. It is first even before you descend to reach the Via Montetrumes street that you follow for about 300 m towards Castelbello. Turn right at the sign (path no. 8) and continue to the "Klumper" slab and the irrigation channel path above Castelbello form where you can return to Castelbello's village square.

Lago di Pausa Lake is a deeply blue alpine lake. According to a legend instead of Lago di Pausa Lake there was a stony area with many huts built on top of it. Dwarfs were the owners of the huts, and they worked in the mine of the Dwarf King named Mute. They searched for crystals in the mine and got good money for their hard work. However, after some time the dwarfs became more and more dissatisfied. One day, the dwarfs found a giant gemstone, which they wanted to keep and sell themselves. Mute found out about the dwarfs' intention and brought about a giant storm. Water flew down the mountains and the dwarfs could not be saved. Lago di Pausa Lake, and Mutenock Peak are still there today.

The bridge in the context of a museum is part of the concept "thema". Twelve short sections illustrate themes about the Pustertal Road like alpine wall, milestones, postal service, tourism, traffic load, train and bike. The construction of the new bridge across the Antholz stream allowed to restore the historically valuable stone bridge and to keep it as a testimony of the modern art of road building. The following three subparts document three historical epochs of the Pustertal road- and bridge-construction: The backmost, eastern part of the bridge has been left in the conditions it was since 2008: with asphalt covering and crash barriers out of steel. The middle part shows the road after its extension in 1938: with the first asphalt covering and hand rails out of concrete. The anterior part was transformed into its original state in 1847: according to the original project plans with chalk-ballast covering, hand rails out of stone as well as balustrades out of wood and granite.

Awarded with the prestigious architectural prize "Premio Architettura Città di Oderzo 2012".

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.

This bronze statue dedicated to South Tyrol’s most important freedom fighter is located in a small park in front of the train station. It was erected in 1914 to commemorate the centennial of Tyrol’s return to Austria after years of Napoleonic rule.

The discovery of an ancient Roman Milestone proves that the old Roman road, the via Claudia Augusta, which led up and over the Alps, ran through Töll/Tel and Rabland/Rablà.
This particular milestone is now housed in the Bolzano Civic Museum while a copy can be seen at the Hanswirt, the old coaching inn at Rabland.

The historical museum dedicated to the First World War is located on the summit of Monte Piana, a place that also offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, including the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

As the border between Italy and the Habsburg monarchy of Austria-Hungary crossed Monte Piana, during the war this peak (2,324 metres high) became the scene of intense fighting between the Italians and Austrians, both eager to control this strategic position. The northern peak was occupied by the Austrians, while the southern one was under Italian control. The positions, trenches and tunnels of both fronts were only a few metres apart, making the location an extremely bloody battlefield.

The 14,000 soldiers who lost their lives during these battles are now buried in the Sorgenti War Cemetery. For two years, a bloody positional war was fought, which, however, did not lead to a decisive breakthrough in the conflict.             

Since 2000, the world's largest nativity scene has been displayed in the Iman Sports Centre in S. Cristina. The project is beeing carried out by a group of 18 sculptors. It was initiated in 1998 with the first statue being that of the Holy Mary with Baby Jesus. Creativity, sensibility, sense of art and skill fostered the idea: St. Joseph, the Magi, a shepherd, a donkey, three sheep, an Angel and a camel are now part of the scene, and the family continues to grow year after year.

Locals refer to the pond above Hafling/Avelengo either as Sulfner Weiher, which means ‘pond’ or Sulfner See, which means ‘lake’. Whether the body of water classifies as a pond or a lake, it was created many years ago as an artificial water reservoir to irrigate Sulfner’s lower lying pastures. Over time, many animal and plant species settled in and around the pond.

The pond is at its loveliest in summer. White water lilies cover the pond while yellow irises, floating water plantains, marsh horsetails, bulrushes, bur-reed, and a host of other plants thrive at the shoreline. Higher up on the banks of the pond, Alpine roses bloom in June – a colourful juxtaposition to forests of spruce, larch and Scots pine. In spring, common toads mate by the hundreds in the water: in the months that follow, naturally, you can see myriad tadpoles and small frogs in the water, surrounded by dragonflies.

The Sulfner Weiher Pond is easy to reach in a short walk from St. Kathrein/S. Caterina.

The ten Spronser lakes, the largest collection of lakes in the high alpine region, can be found to the north west of Tirolo, at the heart of the Texel group of mountains at around 2,500 metres above sea level. These enchanting mountain lakes form one of the most beautiful and significant groups of lakes in South Tyrol, with the Langsee lake, at 1 km long and almost 300 metres wide, also being one of the largest in the country.

The most beautiful group of mountain lakes in South Tyrol is so high that even in summer there is often snow on their shores. The Spronser lakes supply a large part of the city of Merano and its surroundings with water. The flora and fauna at this altitude are also noteworthy and absolutely fascinating.

The so-called "Vorbichl" extends for about 2 km on the eastern edge of the "Tisner Mittelgebirge" and forms with its steeply sloping rock wall a natural barrier to the back settlement area against the Adige Valley.