Meran's top bezienswaardigheden

Merano’s curative water contains a small amount of radon, and is suitable for therapeutic bathing. Thermal baths were built early on in order to expand the therapeutic offering. After 2000, this outdated facility was demolished and a beautiful urban planning solution, comprising outdoor pool with park, bathing complex and hotel, was designed by Berlin architects in a collaboration with Rüdiger Baumann, thus enhancing the promenade with a central square. Matteo Thun continued the planning in a restrained, almost severe, modern style and produced two successfully scaled buildings on the square, by now always lively; they offer a beautiful panoramic view of the landscape and city. The continuous use of natural stone in warm tones softens the rigid perpendicularity of the building, which is also loosened by rhythmically placed glass surfaces. This architecture allowed for the successful creation of a modern counterpart to the Kurhaus.

The "Human Shapes" project is a tribute to ten personalities from the past, who made a significant contribution to Merano’s cultural life during the course of their lives. The project embraced a wide temporal arch. It draws back to the theme of the plastic representation of the human shape, although it supports a free interpretation through contemporary art’s expressive means. The "Human Shapes" project has given life to an open-air art gallery along the Passer Promenade, between the Theater Bridge and the Iron Bridge. Every year, three to four busts of influential personalities were created.
Find out more at www.kunstmeranoarte.org

The Hospital Church of the Holy Spirit is one of Merano’s most important spiritual centers and art monuments. So it was deliberately a provocation towards the German-speaking religious population when the city’s fascist Italian-speaking government built its Casa del Fascio right next door, in order to obstruct the view of the historical church as you approach the old town. Even worse, the old hospital had to be demolished to make way for the new construction. Despite this architectural history, which is rather inglorious for the Italians, the building ranks among the masterpieces of Italian rationalism, architecturally speaking. The widely visible open tower, the horizontally layered facades, the bands of brick and loosened floor plan make this building one of the most interesting construction works of its time.

Earlier there was a natural bend in the river between the Bozen Gate and the bank of the river Passer, where sand collected, and the square laid out later in this area was named after it. Here, next to the Bozen Gate, is the building that used to be one of Meran´s oldest inns: the former Hotel Erzherzog Johann later renamed the Hotel Esplanade. Until 1913 the post office was located in the hotel. Nowadays the renovated Esplanade houses shops, offices and a café. Opposite you will see the "Ansitz Hohensaal2 an ancient noble residence that now accommodates the college of the "Englische Fraulein" and a neo-Romanesque church, the Herz Jesu Kirche (Church of the Sacred Heart). Currently it is difficult to see the square as it is in the process of being dug up in order to build a private underground car park. The Post bridge is the finest Art Nouveau bridge in Meran. The approach to the town from Bozen and the south was very important for the Meran merchants, and there were a number of different bridges here over the centuries, linking the Heiliggeistkirche/Spitalskirche (Church of the Holy Spirit/Hospital Church) with the town. The Art Nouveau bridge, renovated a few years ago, dates from 1909 and is the most elegant of Meran´s bridges.

The theatre was designed by the Munich architect Martin Dülfer and inaugurated in 1900. It is a wonderful germ of eclectic Munich "Jugendstil" architecture. Marble and stucco decorations embellish the inside and the outside ot the theatre. It is dedicated to the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.

Three of the original four town gates still exist. The gates took the name oft the valleys or the towns fhey faced: Val Venosta, Bolzano, Val Passiria and Val d'Ultimo. The Ultimo Gate was situated in what is today piazza Teatro. On both sides of the Passiria Gate it is still possible to see what was once the town wall, built towards the end of the 13th century.

The chapel of Saint Barbara stands behind the apse of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. It was consecrated in 1450 and was the mortuary chapel of the pre-existing cemetery. It is a Gothic building with an octagonal plan and a crypt below the lower floor. In the chapel there is an elegant stellar vault. On the left and right there are two elaborate Baroque wooden altars, painted to look like wood.

Trauttmansdorff was honored as Italy's Most Beautiful Garden in 2005. The complex comprises approximately 12 hectares of gardens, with about 5,800 species of plants and 80 different garden landscapes. The gardens are crossed by paths and waterways, and lined with pavilions. The castle – once the holiday residence of Empress Sissi – has been meticulously restored and complemented by a restaurant and visitor center. In addition to elegant stainless-steel details for bridges, railings and furniture, of particular note are the Aviary and the Viewing Platform. These two modern structures lend the gardens an architectural three-dimensionality. Both represent light yet bold architecture, made of stainless or galvanized steel, and seem to float over the gardens. Visitors access the Viewing Platform across steps that are virtually transparent. The platform towers above the treetops; meanwhile a dizzying bridge high above the gardens protrudes out of the aviary.

This ruin overlooking Merano’s old town, the name of which translates to Gunpowder Tower, is located on the Tappeiner Promenade. In the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, the building served as a depository for gunpowder

One of the three remaninig medieval town gates which can still be admired today.

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.

Tappeiner was a doctor, scientist, and champion of tourism in Merano: there is commemorative statue along the promenade that bears his name.

The Academy of German-Italian Studies, founded in 1959 as German-Italian Cultural Institute, is a non-profit association, whose aim is to foster the cultural and scientific exchange between the German speaking and the Italian speaking world.

The Academy organises international conferences, symposia, research and doctoral colloquia, as well as lectures, readings, exhibitions and concerts. It carries out in-house research through its research centres and through collaborative projects with other institutions. Cooperation agreements have been signed with several universities and research centers in Italy, Germany, and Austria.

Traditionally, the Academy’s focus lies in the field of humanities; however, topics pertaining to the social sciences, law and natural sciences are also dealt with. The proceedings of conferences and symposia are published by the Academy itself or by other international scientific publishers.

The Academy does not support any political, religious or ideological direction. It is housed in magnificent Villa San Marco, a stately building erected in 1895.

This sculpture, created by contemporary South Tyrolean artist Ulrich Egger, is made from stainless steel and cement; it measures 4 metres in height and 8 metres in length. It is set in the centre of a traffic circle on Viale Europa, near the train station. The sculpture expresses the dream of visual vertigo, and the flow of daily life, time, and collective memory in the circularity of the gaze.

Three of the original four town gates still exist. The gates took the name oft the valleys or the towns fhey faced: Val Venosta, Bolzano, Val Passiria and Val d'Ultimo. The Ultimo Gate was situated in what is today piazza Teatro. On both sides of the Passiria Gate it is still possible to see what was once the town wall, built towards the end of the 13th century.

The Merano Town Hall or Rathaus, with its imposing clock tower, was built by architect Ettore Sott Sass between 1929 and 1932 in the architectural style typical of that era. It stands not far from the Prince’s Castle, right in the middle of Merano. The exterior reliefs and the painting found under the arch to the west facade facing the Arcades are the work of the Bolzano/Bozen artist and sculptor Albert Stolz, who lived from 1875 to 1947.

The housing complex is situated north of the racetrack in a quiet residential area. The rectangular plot of land is reflected in the geometric lines of the four-story block of apartments containing sixteen flats: The outlines and facade are simple and clear, without any design effects. A large protruding attic forms a concise end to the roofline. The division of the front of the lightly plastered walls occurs through two types of window: full length balcony windows, and the windows of the rooms reaching up to the ceiling, which are placed in alternation, creating a lively structural arrangement. The colorful balcony parapets add to the visual effect. The clear design is of particular benefit inside the well laid out apartments − everything is light, friendly and easy to furnish.

Magnificent buildings were created long the Passer Promenade, intended for the noble audiences of the Hapsburg Monarchy. The architect Martin Dulfer, who was 40 years old at the time, was able to build his first theater here, which became one of the most important representatives of the Baroque-style Art Nouveau; he followed this theater with three others. The theater in Merano was built in just fourteen months, under the supervision of Wilhelm Kürschner, who would later become Bolzano’s city architect. The iron construction of the stage area came from Munich, the stage equipment from Vienna and the seats from Berlin. Important details of the original structure have been changed, but the building remains one of South Tyrol’s few preserved Art Nouveau buildings. The theater’s clear plan is functionally divided into the stage area, auditorium, and foyer; it seats 500 spectators.

What was life for Franz Fromm, a merchant and collector, and his family in Merano like? How did they experience the turbulent years from 1921 to 1941? How did family members and employees live together in the typical spa town villa? What did the arts and crafts collection mean to them?

Come to our house museum and find out! Welcome to Villa Freischütz!

Admission
Adults: 10,- €
Discounts (seniors over 65, children under 18, students, disabled persons): 8,- €
2nd floor guided tour: 10,- € / 8,- €

You can visit the rooms on the first floor.You can visit the rooms on the second floor only with a guided tour. We only offer guided tours for small groups. Please book a tour in advance. Due to the construction of the villa and to protect sensitive objects you cannot visit the rooms on your own. A guided tour costs 10,- € or 8,- € per person, it lasts 1.5 hours and is in German, Italian or English.

Closed in winter.

A very reserved building structure was created on a narrow building site between the multiform heritage-listed building of the former Grand Hotel Savoy and some simple row houses. The basic cubic shape tapers slightly at both of the lower floors, lending the solid building a floating feeling. Staggered windows in the facades, uniform in size, break up the building’s austerity. A transparent, visually light glass bridge elegantly links the new building with the facade of the old Savoy. The simple form of the new concrete structure, with flat roof, lends both buildings a contrapuntal aesthetic appeal. The cool clarity of the design is also reflected in the interior of the new building, which has a transparent and fluidly designed sequence of rooms.

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.

The Steinerner Steg or “Roman Bridge” is the oldest bridge over the River Passer and was was built in the 17th century. It is situated where the winter and summer promenades end, and where the Gilfpromenade begins. This, and replaced a medieval wooden structure that linked Obermais to the city centre. Its original function was to carry the drinking water pipeline from one side of the river to the other. The Steinerner Steg is often also erroneously called the “Roman Bridge”, probably on account of its apparently Roman/ancient construction method.

This monument dedicated to Merano’s most illustrious guest was erected in 1903; it is located along the verdant Summer Promenade near the Post Office Bridge. The beloved Austrian empress’s frequent visits to Merano boosted the city’s prestige and contributed greatly to its reputation as a spa resort.

In the 19th and the 20th centuries many Russians chose Merano to escape from the extremes of the Russian winter, and to receive medical treatment in a healthier climate. In 1897, therefore, the "Zarenbrunn" complex was opened to serve Russian visitors. The Orthodox Church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas the miracle worker, was built to the design of a local architect, Tobias Brenner, and was furnished with both Russian and local works. After a recent renovation, space has been allocated in the Church to conserve an interesting collection of magazines and books (mainly in Russian). A collection of photographs testifies to the golden years of the community in Merano. Opening times: from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first and third Saturday of the month or by appointment. The Church is closed on holidays during the Easter and Christmas periods. Holy Mass is celebrated in the church on the first and third Sunday of the month.

Brunnenplatz Square is situated between the Reichenbach, Rosenstein and Rundegg manors, on a noisy street intersection that was long without an eastern border. Urban planning considerations thus played an important role in the idea of closing the square off again. This was achieved with the early positioning of the main facade, which also had to take the height of the adjacent residences into consideration and was supposed to offer a timely addition. The bank's two-story glass front was thus intended as a stone facade of travertine, with irregular openings, to match the manor walls in a way and, similar to a trompe l’oeil, make it look like a five-story structure. A shed roof marks the main entrance to the bank and to the passageway, with a store, apartments, offices on the upper floors, and a public parking garage.

In 1907 the first thermal baths were built in via Otto-Huber, to help make Merano the most famous spa town in Central Europe. The Historic thermal baths were designed by a member of the so-called “Münchner Gruppe”, the Bavarian architect Max Langheinrich. The three-story building ends in a mighty dome. An elegant, semi-circular entrance hall with columns decorates the facade of today’s Sala Civica (civic hall). Inside, a wide and richly decorated marble staircase leads to the upper floor. There an impressive lampshade hangs from the ceiling; it is adorned with several statues, dressed in Tyrolean costumes.

In 1271 Meinhard II built the hospital an the adjoining Church of the Holy Spirit outside the walls of the town. The building is a fine longitudinal German Gothic "hall" church. The facade, which is sumounted by a small bell-tower, is divided up by buttresses and a very fine double ogival portal, decorated with the symbols of the Trinity and the kneeling figures fo the people that commissioned the work. Masses (in Italian only) Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. Holiday eves: 6:30 p.m. Holidays: 11:00 a.m.

Built on the Passer Promenade, the old Kurhaus wellness center is the symbol of the city of Merano as a spa town and one of the finest multi-purpose buildings on the southern side of the Alps. Its rooms regularly house cultural and social events, conferences, exhibitions, celebrations and galas. The Kurhaus was built in the second half of the nineteenth century. The original part, the Pavillon des Fleurs, was inaugurated in 1874 and has existed practically unchanged to this day. The new wing, which included the Kursaal, a huge hall designed by Vienna Successionist architect Friedrich Ohmann, was inaugurated on 31 December 1914. The access at the Kurhaus is allowed only during events.

The horse racecourse in Maia Bassa/Untermais is one of the largest and most beautiful in Europe. It is very centrally located, but also divides the urban body sharply. In 1886, the first horserace took place for Merano’s aristocratic visitors. But the modern-day period began only in 1936, when the Fascist regime had the new racecourse built by the star architect of the day, Vietti Violi. With stepped staircases, flat roofs and clear design features, its plastered buildings are excellent examples of the Italian rationalist style, which was developed out of the classical modernism of the Bauhaus school. At two stories high, 150 meters long and 20 meters high, the main grandstand seats 15,000 spectators. After its renovation, the building received the 2011 South Tyrolean Architecture Award.

The beautiful portal and the frescoes on the façade are particulary noteworthy. The interior houses interesting frescoes and paintings from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Masses in German: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays in winter: 6:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in summer: 7:30 p.m. Sundays: 8:30, 10:00 Kolping chapel first Thursday of the month: 19.30