Trentino-Suedtirol / Trentino-Alto Adige

The Reschensee, just south of the border between Austria and Italy is an artificial lake, created in the early 1950s. When the dam was completed the village of Graun was submerged. Today only the bell tower of the former parish church St. Katharina, consecrated in 1357, emerges from the lake. In Winter, when the water is frozen, the tower can be easily reached by foot.

Marienberg was founded in the 12th century by the noble family of Tarasp. Later the name was shortened to "von Trapp". In the 20th century some descendants of this noble family migrated to the US and made a career in music ("Trapp Family Singers", "The Sound of Music"). The abbey existed upto 1807, when the Bavarian Government dissolved the monastery, chased the monks away and looted church archives. The crypt of Marienberg dates back to the early times, most of the buildings seen here, are Baroque. Today this is an abbey again. The tourist office claims, that Marienberg is the highest Benedictine Abbey in Europe - 1340 m. Listen to the "Sound of Music" www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuWsQSntFf0

St. Benedict is the oldest church in the small town of of Mals (pop. 5200). It was erected end of the 8th century - and at that time belonged to the Convent of St. John in Müstair. The church conceals extremely rare interior decoration. There are frescoes that were created around 800. St. Benedict´s tower was added around 1200 - and is about 400 years younger, than the church. Before the church was "re-discovered" in the 20th century, it was used as a barn and stable for about 200 years. I learned here, that South Tyrol hibernates. When the ski lifts run - churches are often locked - and may open after Eastern. I came too early - and so did not see the frescoes.

St. Benedict is the oldest church in the small town of of Mals (pop. 5200). It was erected end of the 8th century - and at that time belonged to the Convent of St. John in Müstair. The church conceals extremely rare interior decoration. There are frescoes that were created around 800. St. Benedict´s tower was added around 1200 - and is about 400 years younger, than the church. Before the church was "re-discovered" in the 20th century, it was used as a barn and stable for about 200 years. I learned here, that South Tyrol hibernates. When the ski lifts run - churches are often locked - and may open after Easter. I came too early - and so did not see the frescoes.

St. Johann was destroyed by French troops in 1799. Only the bell tower survived. Some walls of the nave are now part of a residential house. Seen in the background is the tower of the the Church of the Assumption, now the parish church of Mals.

An "ecclesia sancte Marie" is mentioned already in 1292, when the small town must have had at least five churches. This probably Romanesque church got rebuilt mid 15th century after it burnt down, when in 1499 after the Battle of Calven "Bündner" troops (from "Graubünden" now part of Switzerland) looted Mals. The church got rebuilt, but again severely damaged by Napoleon´s armee in 1799. The church got reconstructed and enlarged in the early 19th century, it got consecrated in 1838. Up on the gallery some bored parishioners carved in their initials.

An "ecclesia sancte Marie" is mentioned already in 1292, when the small town must have had at least five churches. This probably Romanesque church got rebuilt mid 15th century after it burnt down, when in 1499 after the Battle of Calven "Bündner" troops (from "Graubünden" now part of Switzerland) looted Mals. The church got rebuilt, but again severely damaged by Napoleon´s armee in 1799. The church got reconstructed and enlarged in the early 19th century, it got consecrated in 1838. In 1914 the choir of Maria Himmelfahrt was painted by Austrian artist Emanuel Raffeiner in art deco style.

St. Martin, as well a church in Mals, erected within the 12th century is still consecrated, but not used frequently any longer.

The Romanesque parish church St. Lucius got demolished around 1900. Only the old tower - and the graveyard survived the times.

Taufers im Münstertal is just 6 kms east of Müstair. Between the villages runs the border between Switzerland and Italy, so Taufers is the westernmost village of South Tyrol. There are eight churches or chapels in Taufers, what is a lot for a population of less than 1000. Seen here is the western facade of St. Johann, the oldest church in Taufers. Probably already within the 9th century a convent existed here. It is known that the Benedictine monks gave that up in 1035. The church was ruined but got rebuilt in the early 13th century by the Knights Hospitaller. They run a hospice to provide refuge for travelers and care for the ill between 1264 and 1509. In 1790 the church got deconsecrated and was used as a stable. This caused a lot of damage, as walls covered with fresco got demolished over the next decades. The restoration of the church started 1951.

Taufers im Münstertal is just 6 kms east of Müstair. Between the villages runs the border between Switzerland and Italy, so Taufers is the westernmost village of South Tyrol. There are eight churches or chapels in Taufers, what is a lot for a population of less than 1000. Seen here is the western facade of St. Johann, the oldest church in Taufers. Probably already within the 9th century a convent existed here. It is known that the Benedictine monks gave that up in 1035. The church was ruined but got rebuilt in the early 13th century by the Knights Hospitaller. They run a hospice to provide refuge for travelers and care for the ill between 1264 and 1509. In 1790 the church got deconsecrated and was used as a stable. This caused a lot of damage, as walls covered with fresco got demolished over the next decades. The restoration of the church started 1951. The church is very long as it has a kind of two storey narthex, where the hospice once was. On the wall here is a fresco of St. Christopher, painted in the early 13th century.

Taufers im Münstertal is just 6 kms east of Müstair. Between the villages runs the border between Switzerland and Italy, so Taufers is the westernmost village of South Tyrol. There are eight churches or chapels in Taufers, what is a lot for a population of less than 1000. Seen here is the western facade of St. Johann, the oldest church in Taufers. Probably already within the 9th century a convent existed here. It is known that the Benedictine monks gave that up in 1035. The church was ruined but got rebuilt in the early 13th century by the Knights Hospitaller. They run a hospice to provide refuge for travelers and care for the ill between 1264 and 1509. In 1790 the church got deconsecrated and was used as a stable. This caused a lot of damage, as walls covered with fresco got demolished over the next decades. The restoration of the church started 1951. The building is very long as it has a kind of two storey narthex, where the hospice once was. This is seen here, the entrance to the church, built on the floorplan of a Greek Cross is seen in the background.

The late Gothic church, dedicated to St. Pankratius, was built ~ 1480 outside the city walls (seen on the right is the gate tower), replacing an older church on the same spot. The river Adige (= Etsch) separates the town from the church. St. Pankratius is surrounded by the old graveyard.

Paul Flora, born in Glurns, was a well known graphic designer and illustrator, whose black ink line drawings, could often be seen in British and German newspapers. Ravens have been his favourite objects.. There is a "Paul Flora Museum" in Glurns. www.paulfloramuseum.org/

Due to Via Claudia Augusta the settlement here was of strategic importance already in Roman times. End of the 13th century Glurns was a "burgum", a fortified place. That did not help, when after the Battle of Calven (1499) the victorious troops from Graubünden looted the town and set it on fire. The town got rebuilt and a new fortification was planned. The city wall, that still completely surrounds Glurns was completed in 1580. Some of the streets have these nice arcades.

Due to Via Claudia Augusta the settlement here was of strategic importance already in Roman times. End of the 13th century Glurns was a "burgum", a fortified place. That did not help, when after the Battle of Calven (1499) the victorious troops from Graubünden looted the town and set it on fire. The town got rebuilt and a new fortification was planned. The city wall, that still completely surrounds Glurns was completed in 1580. Some of the streets have these nice arcades.

Until 1918 South Tyrol was part of the Austro-Hungarian County of Tyrol, but this territory was occupied by Italy at the end of the WWI and annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1919. This postbox in Glurns may date back to the 1920s.

Early morning in Prad am Stilfserjoch. St. Johann, erected within the 13th century, stands outside the village. It is known for Romanesque and Gothic frescoes - but it was locked.