Bolzano

 

Bolzano (Bozen in German, Balsan or Bulsan or Busan in Ladin, Pouzen, Poazen or Pöazen in South Tyrolean dialect, Bolzan in Trentino dialect, Bolgiano in ancient Italian) is an Italian town of 107 201 inhabitants, capital of the autonomous province of the same name in Trentino -South Tyrol. It is the northernmost capital of Italy.

According to the 2011 census, the population of the city of Bolzano is 73.30% Italian, 25.02% German and 0.68% Ladin. The Bolzano agglomeration, including the municipalities of Appiano sulla Strada del Vino, Bronzolo, Cornedo, Laives, Ora, San Genesio, Terlano and Vadena, had 158 451 inhabitants as of 30 April 2017.

The percentage of foreigners, mostly from non-EU Europe and a small minority from EU countries, amounted to 14.4% (15,485) as of 31 December 2016.

The city, according to what is reported in the Legambiente report "Urban Ecosystem 2017", was ranked third in the ranking of the best Italian cities for quality of environment and life. In the following year she was awarded second place.

 

Monuments and places of interest

Castles and noble residences

There are numerous castles and historic residences in the municipal area or in the immediate vicinity: for this reason the Bolzano basin is considered the area with the highest density of castles in Europe.

Berndorf Residence (Ansitz Berndorf or also Ansitz Hepperger): home of the patrician von Hepperger family, 17th century manor, remodeled in the 19th century, located in Gries
Castel Firmiano (Schloss Sigmundskron): dominates the course of the Adige river from above. It has been renovated and is now the main headquarters of the Mountain Museum created by the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner.
Castel Flavon (Haselburg): medieval castle of the von Haselberg lords, dominates the Aslago district (Oberau-Haslach), and has undergone a major renovation
Gerstburg Palace (Ansitz Gerstburg): seventeenth-century residence of the Gerstl von Gerstburg family, then of the Giovanelli family, with eighteenth-century paintings by Martin Knoller, seat of the Regional Administrative Court
Hörtenberg Castle (Schloss Hörtenberg): located in the district of S. Osvaldo (St. Oswald), built in the 16th century by the Hörtmair family, then by the lords Fuchs von Fuchsberg and the Giovanelli
Castel Mareccio (Schloss Maretsch): located in the historic center, along the Talvera, surrounded by vineyards. 16th century frescoes; some rooms are used for numerous and prestigious temporary exhibitions
Palazzo Menz (Ansitz Menz): residence of the patrician Menz family, eighteenth-century bankers, in via della Mostra, adorned inside with valuable frescoes by Karl Henrici
Castel Niederhaus, in via della Rena, demolished in 1898
Castel Novale (Schloss Ried): located at the entrance to the Val Sarentina (Sarntal)
Palazzo Pock (Palais Pock): formerly owned by the local lords of Liechtenstein, historic home of the first theater in Bolzano and the Kaiserkrone hotel, in Piazza della Mostra
Castel Rafenstein (Burg Rafenstein): ruins from the 13th to 16th centuries, renovated since 2010
Castel Rendelstein (Burg Rendelstein): small castle from the 1200s, along the course of the Talvera
Castel Roncolo (Schloss Runkelstein): located at the entrance to the Val Sarentina in the municipality of Renon but owned by the city of Bolzano. It is called "the illustrated manor" (Bilderburg) due to the fourteenth and fifteenth century frescoes. Large space dedicated to permanent and temporary exhibitions
Rottenbuch Residence (Ansitz Rottenbuch): 17th century noble residence, built by David Wagner, originally from Augsburg, progenitor of the counts von Sarnthein, seat of the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage (Landesdenkmalamt)
Castel Sant'Antonio (Schloss Klebenstein): 13th century noble residence
Stillendorf Palace (Ansitz Stillendorf): home of the von Zallinger nobles, near the Sacred Heart Church
Toggenburg Palace (Ansitz Toggenburg): former seat of the ancient judgment of the lords of Wanga, then of the Sarnthein counts, since the 19th century property of the Toggenburg counts
Palazzo Trapp (Ansitz Trapp): residence of the counts von Trapp, in via della Mostra
Castel Treuenstein (Burg Treuenstein): 13th century crenelated tower, also known as Gescheibter Turm
Castel Weinegg (Burg Weineck): only the chapel of San Vigilio remains on the slopes of Virgolo (Virgl)

 

Historic villas

Villa Bittner
Villa Defregger
Villa Wendlandt
Villa Zeltnerheim

 

Catholic churches

Bolzano Cathedral, co-cathedral of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone in Gothic and Romanesque style dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta
Dominican Church, with Gothic-style cloister
Church of the Capuchins, dating back to the 17th century with a basement containing archaeological finds from the Roman and medieval periods
Franciscan church, with Gothic-style cloister
Carmelite Church, 1948
Muri-Gries Abbey, ancient medieval princely castle, first Augustinian, then Benedictine monastery from the early fifteenth century
Church of Sant'Agostino in baroque style adjacent to the Muri-Gries abbey
Church of San Giovanni in Villa, a small 12th century church in the neighborhood of the same name close to the centre
Church of the Teutonic Order, 14th century complex
Old Parish Church of Gries, contains a Romanesque crucifix from the 1200s and the precious wooden casket altar by the sculptor Michael Pacher
Church of Santa Maddalena, 12th century church in the wine district of the same name
Church of Calvario al Virgolo, an eighteenth-century baroque church on a cliff overlooking the city
Church of San Vigilio al Virgolo, 13th century Romanesque church
Church of San Martino a Campiglio, church located in the Campiglio area next to the motorway
Church of Christ the King, 1938-1940
Church of the Sacred Heart, 19th century
Church of San Paolo, contains an organ built by Riccardo Lorenzini of Prato and inaugurated in 2005

 

Civil architecture and monuments

Karl Delug City Museum (1905)
Town Hall by Carl Hocheder (1907)
Post Office Building, designed by Albert Canal (1889-1890)
Monument to Walther von der Vogelweide, in the square of the same name, by the sculptor Heinrich Natter (1889)
Monument to King Laurin, in Piazza Silvius Magnago, work by the sculptor Andrä Kompatscher (1914)
Monument to Victory, in the square of the same name, designed by architect Marcello Piacentini (1928)
EURAC Headquarters and Alpine Convention Building (former GIL House), Francesco Mansutti and Gino Miozzo (1934-1936), Klaus Kada expansion project (1998-2001)
former Casa del Fascio from 1939-1942, which became financial offices after the war
Former Semirurali area - Carlo Aymonino (1979-1986)
Municipal Theater - Marco Zanuso (1999)
Museion - project by KSV Krüger Schuberth Vandreike (2008)
New provincial headquarters "Palazzo II" (Landhaus 2) - Oswald Zöggeler (1997-2001)

 

Origins of the name

The Latin name "Pons Drusi" is not the basis of the present name. There are two main hypotheses on the derivation of the name "Bolzano" and "Bozen". The most widespread is the one that indicates the territory of Bolzano as an ancient possession of a Celt named "Bautius" (or "Baudius"), from which "Praedium Bautianum" or "Baudianum", or "Podere di Bautius" (or Baudius), later transformed into "Bauzanum", hence the current name in Italian, German and Ladin through various transformations. The second hypothesis would derive the name from a hypothetical "Castellum Balteanum", or "camp in marshy land", from the Indo-European * balt (the same root from which the word "Baltic" derives).

The toponym is attested as early as the eighth century as "Bauzanum, Bauzana, Pauzana" and "Pozana", from which names are derived the present-day German form "Bozen", known as early as 1133 (in the modern age also written "Botzen" or "Potzen") and the Italian one in 1223 (in the modern age also in the "Bolgiano" variant). The German dialect names are "Boazen" (/ 'po: atsən /) or "Bouzen" (/' po: utsən /) and / p / is a very common feature in toponymic history (Pauzana, Pozana, Poczen, Pozen and Potzen), also due to the particularity of the Bavarian-Austrian pronunciation which often exchanges / b / with / p /. The Ladin names derive from "Pulsan" of 1500:
Balsan (Ladin badioto)
Bulsan (Val Gardena)
Bolsàn (fodom)
Busan (fassano and ampezzano)

 

Monuments and places of interest

Castles and noble residences
There are numerous castles and historic residences in the municipal area or in the immediate vicinity: for this reason the Bolzano basin is considered the area with the highest density of castles in Europe.

Berndorf Residence (Ansitz Berndorf or Ansitz Hepperger): residence of the patrician von Hepperger family, 17th century manor, remodeled in the 19th century, located in Gries
Firmiano Castle (Schloss Sigmundskron): dominates the Adige river from above. It has been renovated and is now the main seat of the Mountain Museum designed by the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner.
Castel Flavon (Haselburg): medieval castle of the von Haselberg lords, overlooking the district of Aslago (Oberau-Haslach), and has undergone a major renovation
Palazzo Gerstburg (Ansitz Gerstburg): seventeenth-century residence of the Gerstl von Gerstburg, then of the Giovanelli, with eighteenth-century paintings by Martin Knoller, seat of the Regional Administrative Court
Hörtenberg Castle (Schloss Hörtenberg): located in the district of S. Osvaldo (St. Oswald), built in the 16th century by the Hörtmair family, later by the Fuchs von Fuchsberg and Giovanelli family
Castel Mareccio (Schloss Maretsch): located in the historic center, along the Talvera river, surrounded by vineyards. Frescoes from the 16th century; some rooms are used for numerous and prestigious temporary exhibitions
Palazzo Menz (Ansitz Menz): residence of the patrician Menz family, eighteenth-century bankers, in via della Mostra, adorned inside with valuable frescoes by Karl Henrici
Castel Novale (Schloss Ried): located at the entrance to the Val Sarentina (Sarntal)
Palazzo Pock (Palais Pock): formerly owned by the local lords of Liechtenstein, historic seat of the first Theater in Bolzano and the Kaiserkrone hotel, in Piazza della Mostra
Rafenstein Castle (Burg Rafenstein): ruins from the 12th to the 16th century, restored since 2010
Rendelstein Castle (Burg Rendelstein): small castle dating back to 1200, along the Talvera river
Castel Roncolo (Schloss Runkelstein): located at the entrance to the Val Sarentina in the municipality of Renon but owned by the city of Bolzano. It is called "the illustrated manor" (Bilderburg) due to the frescoes of the thirteenth and fifteenth century. Large space dedicated to permanent and temporary exhibitions
Rottenbuch residence (Ansitz Rottenbuch): 17th century noble residence, built by David Wagner, originally from Augusta, progenitor of the counts von Sarnthein, seat of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (Landesdenkmalamt)
Castel Sant'Antonio (Schloss Klebenstein): noble residence of the thirteenth century
Stillendorf Palace (Ansitz Stillendorf): residence of the von Zallinger nobles, near the Church of the Sacred Heart
Toggenburg Palace (Ansitz Toggenburg): formerly the seat of the ancient judgment of the Lords of Wanga, later of the Sarnthein Counts, since the 19th century owned by the Toggenburg Counts
Trapp Palace (Ansitz Trapp): residence of the counts von Trapp, in via della Mostra
Treuenstein Castle (Burg Treuenstein): 13th century crenellated tower, also known as Gescheibter Turm
Weinegg Castle (Burg Weineck): only the San Vigilio chapel remains on the slopes of Virgolo (Virgl)

Historic villas
Villa Bittner
Villa Defregger
Villa Wendlandt
Villa Zeltnerheim

 

Catholic churches
Cathedral of Bolzano, co-cathedral of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone in Gothic and Romanesque style dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta
Dominican church, with a Gothic cloister
Church of the Capuchins, dating back to the 17th century with a basement containing archaeological finds from the Roman and medieval times
Franciscan Church, with a Gothic cloister
Carmelite Church, from 1948
Abbey of Muri-Gries, an ancient medieval princely castle, from the early fifteenth century monastery first Augustinian, then Benedictine
Church of Sant'Agostino in Baroque style adjacent to the abbey of Muri-Gries
Church of San Giovanni in Villa, a small 12th century church in the homonymous district near the center
Church of the Teutonic Order, complex from the 14th century
Old parish church of Gries, contains a Romanesque crucifix from 1200 and the precious wooden casket altar by sculptor Michael Pacher
Church of Santa Maddalena, a 12th century church in the wine district of the same name
Chiesa del Calvario al Virgolo, an eighteenth-century baroque church on a cliff overlooking the city
Church of San Vigilio al Virgolo, Romanesque church from the 13th century
Church of San Martino a Campiglio, church located in the Campiglio area next to the highway
Church of Cristo Re, from 1938/40
Church of the Sacred Heart, from the 19th century
Church of San Paolo, contains an organ built by Riccardo Lorenzini of Prato and inaugurated in 2005

Civil architectures and monuments
Karl Delug Town Museum (1905)
Carl Hocheder Town Hall (1907)
Palazzo delle Poste, designed by Albert Canal (1889-1890)
Monument to Walther von der Vogelweide, in the square of the same name, by the sculptor Heinrich Natter (1889)
Monument to King Laurin, in Silvius Magnago square, by the sculptor Andrä Kompatscher (1914)
Monument to the Victory, in the homonymous square, by the architect Marcello Piacentini (1928)
Building Headquarters of EURAC and Alpine Convention (formerly Casa GIL), Francesco Mansutti and Gino Miozzo (1934-1936), extension project Klaus Kada (1998-2001)
ex Casa del Fascio of 1939-1942, today Financial Offices
Former Semirurali area - Carlo Aymonino (1979-1986)
Municipal Theater - Marco Zanuso (1999)
Museion - project by KSV Krüger Schuberth Vandreike (2008)
New headquarters of the province "Palace II" (Landhaus 2) - Oswald Zöggeler (1997-2001)

 

Territory

Bolzano is located at an altitude of 265 m in the eastern part of the wide basin originating from the conjunction of the Isarco, Sarentina and Adige valleys. The basin is bordered to the west by the Mendola chain, to the north-west of the Salto plateau (Salten, 1,500 m), to the north-east by a minor peak of Renon (Ritten) called Monte Tondo (Hörtenberg), and to the south- east from Monte Pozza (1,619 m) on whose northern slope is the locality Colle, whose name is often improperly used to designate the entire mountain.

A small rocky crag of the latter, called Virgolo, rises vertically close to the city.

The city is connected to the three nearest mountains by cable cars that each exceed about a thousand meters in altitude: the Colle cable car that goes up Monte Pozza up to Colle di Villa (Herrenkohlern), that of Renon with arrival in Soprabolzano and that of San Genesio which reaches the homonymous village on the Salto plateau. From the city, looking east along the Isarco Valley, you can see the nearby and suggestive Catinaccio (Rosengarten, 3,004 m), which is part of the Dolomites, with the characteristic Vajolet Towers.

Bolzano is crossed by the Talvera torrent which flows into the city in the Isarco river, which in turn flows into the Adige a few kilometers south of the city itself. The historic core of the city lies in the triangle bounded to the west by the Talvera stream, to the south by the Isarco river and to the north-east by Monte Tondo.

 

Climate

The climate of the city, located in an alpine valley, is sub-continental, with winter lows usually below zero and summer highs even over 35 ° C; rainfall is not very abundant, falling medially just over 700 mm of rain per year which are distributed with a maximum in summer, when thunderstorms can develop, and a minimum in winter when they generally appear in the form of snow.
The areas of the municipal territory located at higher altitudes are characterized by an alpine climate, the characteristics of which vary according to the altitude, orography and exposure. In summer it is very hot and in winter quite cold, also due to the position in a basin that prevents the exchange of air.