The air is filled with history and customs. Old walls, buildings and pictures, all of which have something to tell. In the area around Burgusio you can see various sights from ancient times through the Middle Ages to contemporary history.
For over 900 years, life in the Abbey of Marienberg has followed the Rule of Saint Benedict. It is a place of peacefulness and strength, history and future, work and prayer. Abbey of Marienberg gracefully watches over Burgusio and is, along with the Fürstenburg Castle, one of the landmarks of the small town. The wall paintings in the crypt and the museum are just two of the things to experience there.
One of the most popular spots in Upper Val Venosta is Churburg Castle above Sluderno, dating from the Renaissance between the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. It is world famous for its armoury and it is one of the best maintained castle complexes in South Tyrol. It is also the scene of the annual South Tyrolean Knights' Games in August.
As graceful as the Val Venosta landmark seems to rise out of the lake, behind it hides a far less romantic story. Today the tower is a listed building and is definitely worth a visit.
Across the national border into Switzerland, one finds twelve centuries of art and building history. The Benedictine monastery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and is thus under special protection as a living cultural asset.
The owner of Juval Castle is none other than famous mountaineer Reinhold Messer, who is very concerned about the preservation of castles and palaces. Here you can also find one of the "MMM's" (Messer Mountain Museum), a museum dedicated to the magic of the mountain and houses several fine art collections.
Called in dialect "Bichl", the hill was already populated in the pre-Romanesque period and in antiquity. Probably the inhabitants then moved towards Ganglegg, in the immediate vicinity of Sluderno.
On the likewise prehistoric excavation site at Ganglegg, the history of our ancestors from prehistoric times is even more tangible. All information about the history of these sites can be discovered in the archaeological park and museum in Sluderno.
The smallest town in South Tyrol has a very special charm thanks to the numerous arcades and romantic alleys. A jewel of late medieval architecture, it has retained its ancient walls.
As a border area, in the Val Venosta are numerous buildings dating back to the line of defence of the 1930s. Today, they are a destination for visitors (bunker of the Adige spring no. 20) or warehouse of the only Italian whisky distillery.
The unique Lasa marble can be found all over the world - from the stylish private house in Lasa to the subway station at the former World Trade Center in New York. The brand stands for a resistant quality product and is therefore very popular with architects and stone sculptors alike.
Throwing burning discs seems like something dangerous, but instead it represents an ancient rite of the Val Venosta and symbolizes the end of winter. The burning of a straw witch should herald the arrival of spring.
In Andreas Hofer's time, the fires lit at the top of the mountain were used to ask God's help, as was done during the battles against the French and the Bavarians. This ritual still illuminates the hills of South Tyrol today.
Do you want to experience Southtyrolian traditions? To steam off with other sportsmen? Do you want to listen to the sound of musicans? You can visit different events the whole year.
