Gufler

The Church Tower of Lago di Resia...

by Greggor58

We drove by this landmark on the way through to Sluderno....I had seen pictures of this bell tower in fact here at VT before I had even made the trip over to Europe...so it was pretty cool when as we came around the corner of the road this sight was in front of us!

We pulled over at a car park and spent only a few minutes here because the wind was biting and it felt quite cold...

"Lake Resia (Italian: Lago di Resia, German: Reschensee) or Lake Reschen is an artificial lake located in the western portion of the Italian province of Bolzano-Bozen, near the Resia Pass and 2 km from the Austrian border."

The campanile or bell tower is what remains of a 14th Century church.

A resevoir was created in the early fourties for a hydro electric project that wiped out several villages in the immediate vicinity.The project was not completed,because of the Second World War,until the early fifties.

Its quite a sight to see this belltower situated the way it is...its almost sureal.

Sluderno....A Six Course Lunch and a Stroll ....

by Greggor58

"Where Once the Romans Marched....."

The day was sunshine and blue sky once again as we departed from Samnaun...our destination...ultimately...in a round about way was to be Plafeien...back to Switzerland and two days rest and then onwards for me to Berlin.

Being so close to a sister of Andrea,it was necessary to detour to have lunch before we got serious about "the drive"...which when it was said and done...took us about six hours on a full stomach.. : O [

We left Saumnaun around 930 am and arrived in Sluderno...or as its called in German....Schluderns...

From Sluderno to Plafeien it took us another six hours or so...driving on a full stomach.. : O [

This picturesque small town is in Southern Tirol..or Tyrol...Southern Tyrol is located in Northern Italy and borders Switzerland and Austria.

The history is long and is complex.At the end of the First World War this part of Tyrol was handed over to Italy...in fact before the war it was territory that was a part of Austria.

The first language most commonly spoken is German...and Italian is the second language.In a census taken in 1910 in the geographc area called Südtirol/Alto Adige...88 % of the population was German speaking.Today I dont know the exact breakdown of German/Italian first languages...but suffice it to say that in the household that I was visiting...the Mother's first language was German....and the father's first language is Italian...So...

Anyways....we stopped and a seemingly never ending lunch began..the hospitality of our hosts was similar to our lunch...endless..I was made to feel like more than just a friend...and when it was all said and done...I was almost in pain from eating so much.

I was sitting on the patio outside of the kitchen and I decided that I should go for a walk around town to burn off some callories...instead of falling asleep in the sun...

What I found was a beautiful old town with interesting old buildings and narrow streets with an abundance of really cool and ANCIENT looking doorways..all stupendously "placed" with a snow capped backdrop of beautiful mountains,what an incredible experience even just to see such a place!

This small town also boasts its own Castle...the Churburg Castle....built in 1253 by the bishops of Chur.The region is loaded with apple orchards..As I walked outside my host's kitchen onto theyre patio...I looked to the left and saw this castle on the hill overlooking the village!

I was watching the clock so to speak because I didnt want to make us late for leaving for Plafeien but I managed to have a look around the town,someting that Im happy that I did!

"Around Town..."

I thought I would share some of my photos in spite of not having spent any length of time in Sluderno....

Because I was basically just passing the time strolling through town I didnt stop for coffee or eat a meal here...[except for the seven course lunch served by my hosts ]...I cant comment or provide any information about eateries or accommodations.

In spite of this I found the architecture and the feeling of "OLD" to be quite interesting and it was a beautiful day to absorb some of the ambiance of this town.

"Everywhere I LOOKED..."

There was a photo waiting to happen...the light was strong and the textures in the building materials...the wood..the stucco...the stone...it was amazing...

This would be a part of Italy that I would certainly want to spend more time in if I were to ever have the chance again,especially if the food and hospitality is similar to what my new friends provided us with!

Schluderns - Home of the Churburg/ Castel Coira

by desert_princess

"Schluderns and the Chur Fortress"

Overlooking the town of Schluderns / Sluderno ( In this part of Italy the towns are double named in German and Italian as both languages are officialy spoken ) The the Churburg Fortress (official site) offers a magnificent view over the Vinschgau Valley and the intersection with the valley that leads you to the Ortler Glacier. Situated between the Reschenpass ,where Austria meets Italy and Meran , the village of Schluderns offers a magnificent 360 view over the snow covered surrounding mountain ridges and the flat wide Vinschgau valley and its apple plantations laying at your feet.
The Churburg is inhabited by its noble owner - Johannes Jakob Graf Trapp that guards within its walls the world's biggest private armory collection .

"The Ortler Glacer"

From the Fortress of Chur you have a magnificent view over the village of Schluderns / Silandero ,laying at your feet and the opposite valley that leads you to the Ortler Glacier.

I am happy to be the first to tell the VT world about this lovely place.

and another link to the Churburg of the Tourist Information of Sudtirol

Ancient Doorways to......Somewhere... : O ]

by Greggor58

"OK OK....so I LIKE OLD DOORS..... : O ]"

I was walking through Sluderno and its pretty obvious that the town has been here for eons...or so it seems...

When I looked closer at some of the doorways I thought WOW....what has gone on behind there....and who and for how long have people trapsed through these ancient looking things...

These are a few of them....the ones i liked the most !

"Wandering around Sluderno....."

WHAT might have passed through here at one time or another....?

"Wandering around Sluderno....."

WOW....noting likely ever happened here right...?

"Wandering around Sluderno....."

OK....so its a door PLUS....