Bolzano Things to Do

This cathedral is the most remarkable monument in Bolzano, combining Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Started in the 12Th century the Gothic look was given in the 14th, using reddish and yellow sandstone.
Doors, altars, pulpit, frescoes and the architecture itself are reasons to visit with time.

Gourmets have an express attraction around Bolzano - the wine route.

The vineyards are visible from the highway, but this kind of tourism means... time. Exactly what we missed, but, at least, we had time to taste a wine!

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Bolzano is located in the Dolomites, with easy access to the most beautiful places of Alto Adige.

The vines with the mountais in the background compose excelent landscapes, here and there enriched by man's addictions.

I was there in a professional visit, but what I saw made me wish to go back, with a "tourist eye". I will!

Wonderfully preserved mummy discovered in 1991 housed in the Sud Tirol Museum of Archeology.

Oetzi is supposed to be the oldest natural mummy (as opposed to mummified like the egyptians) from the Copper Age. The mummy was in such a fine state of preservation that scientists were able to determine the approximate location of the village he grew up in and where he may have lived in his lifetime based on tooth enamel. The mummy was encased in ice shortly after his death, so his body and even internal organs were in a remarkable state of preservation, even though he was thought to have died some 5,300 years ago. Amazingly they were able to do relatively detailed description of his clothes, his features, his cause of death and a great deal of speculation of what his position in society may have been etc.

a fascinating exhibition

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The Cathedral, located on Waltherplatz (the main square) is a mixture of styles, mainly Italian Romanesque and the High Gothic. It was finished in the 1500's though the structure has existed since the 1100's.

The belltower is the work of the Swabian sculptor Hans Lutz von Schussenried. Interestingly, though the cathedral is gothic, and quite spacious inside, it doesn't have the huge flying buttresses characteristic of the larger Gothic cathedrals. You do, however, have the gargoyles.

An interesting mix of styles as well as mixture of the Italian and Germanic. The interior of the cathedral was once frescoed by pupils of Giotto. The oldest painting in the cathedral is the crucifixtion scene which dates from 1300's.

The fascist government erected this monument to commemorate the victory of the Italian army over the Austro-Hungarian empire during World War I. Until the end of World War I the region had been settled by Germans (Austrians) since the end of the Roman Empire.

There is a large market on Saturdays that takes place on the piazza in front of the monument.

At the very center of town in the Piazza Walther/Waltherplatz, named after the lyric poet Walther von der Vogelweide (c. 1170 – c. 1230). The statue is the work of Heinrich Natter (1889)
I wasn't entirely clear what/if any connection Herr Walther had to the area/region. His place of birth or origin isn't known though scholars figure he was from out in the country, presumably a place where falconry was practiced. His name means "field of birds"

This is generally the place to meet in Bolzano, There are some nice restaurants around the Piazza

Though the castle dates from 1194, the present castle dates from the 16th century, when the Romer family renovated it with a lot of frescoes and religious paintings. After many changes of ownership, it is in the hands of the city of Bolzano/Bozen since 1974.

the location is right in the valley, surrounded by vineyards, only a few hundred meters from the city center. There are now guided tours and if you are interested the frescoes in the castle are pretty nice.

Mon-Fri: 10 a.m.-12.30 p.m./2 p.m.-5.30 p.m.
some parking available.