Appiano on the Wine Route - Appiano sulla Strada del Vino

Appiano on the Wine Route (Eppan an der Weinstraße in German) is a scattered municipality of the Trentino Alto Adige.

To know

Appiano sulla Strada del Vino is also called the "Land of castles, lakes and wines" and is located a few kilometers from Bolzano. It is an area known above all for its fine wines and large orchards around the various locations that make up this municipality. 180 fortresses, castles and proud manors characterize the landscape of Appiano and its surroundings along the Wine Route: a vast area planted with vines, the largest in the whole of South Tyrol, in which nine picturesque wine-growing villages are located.

Geographical notes

In theOltradige-Bassa Atesina, Appiano (calculating from the municipal seat of San Michele) is 10 km from Bolzano; 20 from Egna; 30 from Merano.

When to go

Thanks to the mild climate, the area is particularly popular with lovers of active holidays and families.

Background

Archaeological research believes that the town is already an important settlement of the Luco-Meluno culture.The first person mentioned by the documentary sources is a certain Fritari de Apiano, listed together with a Launulfus de Baovarius in the notarial placit written in Trento in 845. This would suggest that in the early Middle Ages, following the barbarian invasions, there was an immigration from Baiuvari.

With the Schönbrunn Peace Agreement on 14 October 1809 Appiano, together with the southern part of Tyrol, is annexed to the Kingdom of Italy and aggregated to the Department ofSouth Tyrol; the Italian language becomes administrative language.After the defeat of Napoleon (1813) and the dissolution of the Department of South Tyrol, Appiano also returned to the Austrian Empire.In the meantime, in 1810, the municipality of Appiano was established, suppressed in 1817 and again established in 1849.

In 1919, following the First World War, it returned to be part of the Kingdom of Italy. From 8 September 1943, following the Nazi occupation, it returned to the Pre-Alps Operation Zone. In 1973 the municipality added to its name the wording "on the Wine Road".

How to orient yourself

Its municipal territory also includes the hamlets of Cornaiano / Girlan, Frangarto / Frangart, Gaido / Gaid, Missiano / Missian, Monte / Berg, Monticolo / Montiggl, Pradonico / Perdonig, Riva di Sotto / Unterrain, San Michele / St. Michael (town hall) and San Paolo / St. Pauls.

How to get

By plane

• 46.46027811.3263891 Bolzano-Dolomites Airport (IATA: BZO) (6 km from the center of Bolzano), ☎ 39 0471 255 255, fax: 39 0471 255 202. open to the public: 05: 30–23: 00; ticket office opening: 06: 00-19: 00; check-in for flights from Bolzano is only possible from 1 hour to a maximum of 20 minutes before departure. Small regional airport with scheduled flights to and from Lugano is Rome with Etihad Regional (by Darwin Air). At certain times of the year, the Lauda Air company connects the city with Vienna once a week. On the other hand, charter flights are more numerous. 
• 45.39666710.8877782 Verona Airport (Catullus), Boxes of Sommacampagna, ☎ 39 045 8095666, @[email protected]. 
• 45.42555610.3269443 Brescia Airport (D'Annunzio), Via Aeroporto 34, Montichiari (Connections with Brescia airport are guaranteed by public transport via the bus. The stop a Brescia city ​​is located at the bus station (number 23), while that of the airport is at the front of the terminal. There are also connections to the city of Verona via bus / shuttle line 1), ☎ 39 045 8095666, @[email protected]. Charter only 

By car

• Bolzano Sud motorway exit on the Brenner motorway
• State 38 of the Stelvio laps the municipal area.
• Highway 42 of the Tonal and Mendola crosses the territory connecting it to the state road 38.

By bus

Public transport services with coaches in South Tyrol are managed by dealerships, Appiano is served by SAD. Timetables are available on provincial mobility site. From Bolzano buses leave every 15 minutes (lines 131 and 132). On holidays, the frequency is halved.

How to get around

By public transport

On working days a bus called "Express" (line 131) which starts from Bolzano and is directed to Caldaro (or Tramin). It stops neither in San Paolo, nor in Cornaiano nor in San Michele village, but stops at the "station" of Appiano (until the 1950s there was a railway station) which is a 20-minute walk from the center of San Michele or from the center of Cornaiano.

Every half hour the line 132 (Bolzano-Caldaro) alternates with two connections, one passing through Cornaiano and the other passing through San Paolo. The so-called "Citybus" are served on an hourly basis, even the smaller hamlets (Missiano, Monte as well as San Paolo and Cornaiano). Monticolo can be reached by bus only in the summer months (due to the bathing lake).

What see

• Castel d'Appiano (Burg Hocheppan) (in Missiano). It is located in Missiano, a hamlet of Appiano on the Wine Route. The imposing castle towers over a steep rock face above the town of Missiano. From here it dominates the Adige valley and several other castles are visible, both on the same orographic side of the Adige river (Castel Corba and Castel Boymont), and on the opposite side of the valley (Castel Greifenstein, Castel Neuhaus).

It is one of the most important medieval defensive constructions of theSouth Tyrol. According to leading scholars, the spur was occupied or even fortified already at the time of the Reti, about two thousand years ago. The most recent archaeological research results seem to confirm this finding. For some, the medieval fortress dates back to 1125, built at the behest of Count Ulrico II of Appiano as an offensive castle; others, on the other hand, believe that a later date of foundation is more likely.

The previous seat of the Counts of Appiano was located near the village of San Paolo-Appiano: its precise location is not known, however its identification with Castel Altenburg near San Paolo or Castel Freudenstein in Appiano is disputed. The reasons for the transfer would lie in the lack of security guaranteed by the old castle, since the conflict with the counts of Tyrol, from which the counts of Appiano eventually emerged defeated.

After the latter, in fact, in 1158 ambushed a papal embassy headed to Germany at the imperial court of Frederick Barbarossa, the castle of the Appiano (however it is not clear which) was the subject of a retaliatory attack by the duke of Bavaria and of Saxony Henry the Lion, as a result of which the castle was destroyed. Later the manor was put back on its feet and in 1315 it passed to the Tirolo family who then invested several families with it. Since 1911 the Enzenberg counts have owned it, who also took care of the consolidation of the ruins in the most at risk points.

Currently the ruins appear consolidated and have also been partially restored. In the interior spaces, now outdoors, there is a refreshment point, where you can get the keys to the Romanesque chapel of the castle, still well preserved.

The access to the castle, which was the subject of multiple additions and expansions over the centuries, is overlooked to the north by a complex series of defensive bodies and watchtowers dating back to the late Middle Ages. The characteristics of these date them mostly to the sixteenth century. Outside the walls proper, a semicircular tower, open towards the inside, was built in such a way as to be able to house firearms. The palace is quite well preserved, while the high pentagonal keep dominates everything, rare in Tyrol, whose survival seemed threatened by a deep damage to the walls before being subjected to a restoration.

The chapel

It is a small rectangular building prior to the castle and incorporated ex post into the structure of the manor. Three apses are carved into the wall thickness of a short side. Access is from the side. The frescoes in the chapel are among the best preserved in Tyrol. It is a Romanesque style painting - the chapel dates back to 1131 - with a profane and sacred subject. The exterior preserves parts of frescoes that seem to recall the legend of King Theodoric, whose soul was lost by hunting a deer. Inside, scenes from the new and old testament; the apse displays the cycle of wise virgins and foolish virgins. The whole is very impressive.

The Kreidenturm tower

A few minutes away on foot from the castle stands an isolated high quadrangular tower, with high access from the floor. A second opening with a round arch gave access to the disappeared wooden walkway. Traces of the original white plastering of the tower still remain, to which - perhaps - we owe the name in German, with which it is also known among the Italians. : This name could, however, also go back to an original meaning connected to reports by means of fires, given the position of the tower from which you can see many castles and places even several kilometers away. However, Josef Weingartner's interpretation is more popular, seeing it as a strategic outpost of the nearby castle. The tower was surrounded by a curtain wall, of which the remains remain. 

• Corba Castle (Schloss Korb) (in Missiano). The medieval castle rises above the hamlet of Missiano. It is a noble residence built by the Korb family. The tower, the oldest part, dates back to the 13th century (perhaps 1236), almost at the same time as the nearby and overhanging Castel Boymont.

It then passed to the Feigensteiner and then to the Vintler (1399). Fifty years later it will pass to the Gefellers who will give way to a whirlwind series of ownership changes which lasted essentially until 1834, when it was bought by Johann von Putzer from Bolzano, who enlarged it and had the chapel built.

In the 1870s the construction will pass to the Tessmanns: the scholar Friedrich von Tessmann will also live here.

After the First World War it belonged to the Dellago family and was used as a hotel. Today it is still a very popular hotel and restaurant for the panoramic view over Bolzano, the val d'Adige and the South Tyrolean wine route. 

• Boymont Castle (Schloss Boymont) (in Missiano). It is located in Missiano, higher than the nearby Castel Corba. It was built around 1230 (probably it was finished in 1235) probably by members of a collateral branch of the family of the Counts of Appiano. Between 1239 and 1245, Henry of Boymont, vassal of Count Ulrico of Appiano-Ultimo, appears several times in the sources. It was in fact probably granted to the lords of Boymont, ministerial of these counts, from which it also took its name.

The two decades between 1220 and 1240 are considered the golden age of the construction of castles in South Tyrol: a large number of artifacts, including Castel Flavon (or Haselburg) and Castel Roncolo, were born then.

The lords of Boymont played an important role later, particularly in the 14th century, but the castle eventually found itself in the hands of Ulrich Kässler, who in 1413 had married the wealthy heiress Barbara de Boymont. In 1742 Castel Boymont was destroyed by a fire, perhaps set due to hereditary conflicts and since then it was no longer inhabited and fell definitively in ruins, despite the fact that it changed hands between some of the major South Tyrolean noble families, including the Wolkenstein-Trostburg. and the Enzenbergs.

Boymont is a Romanesque work and was probably built in a single phase with a practically quadrangular plan. Even the constructive features, clear and well designed, appear unusual for an early medieval construction of this type. Boymont is in fact placed in a defensive position, but it served above all as a residence and only marginally for military control of the area, like the nearby Castel d'Appiano. The state of the still imposing ruins is interesting for the study of the castles, since in this case it is a large Romanesque residential castle, which arrived in fair condition and without significant additions and manipulations. The multi-storey building is located in the south-east corner and has unmistakable and splendid three-light windows open in the perimeter wall. : The keep is located to the north-east and shows a notable arched opening towards the east, of large dimensions - similar, however, to that seen in the tower of Castel Neuhaus, near Terlano. Another smaller tower is located to the north-west. The manor chapel was located above the entrance, on the first floor. The apse, which has been preserved, faces east as usual. The position of the chapel is comparable to those found in Bruck Castle near Lienz in Austria (East Tyrol).

Only in 1977 the new owner began a work of consolidation and recovery of what could still be saved. The parts added in the consolidation are distinguishable, according to correct restoration criteria. The castle is located along walkable paths and can now be visited; inside there is a refreshment point. In the rock below the castle there is a bunker, difficult to access, belonging to the Vallo Alpino in South Tyrol, and precisely to the Bolzano Sud barrage. 

• Lodrone Castle (Schloss Freudenstein) (in San Michele). It stands on a hilly terrace overlooking the hamlet of San Michele (St. Michael in Eppan). The first documents date back to 1379, but the construction must be much earlier and is perhaps attributable to the Counts of Appiano. The area was ruled by two families: the Eysenbrand von Freudenstein and the Fuchs von Fuchsberg. It is not clear who built it, but the name suggests the former. Certainly from the documents already in the fifteenth century the Fuchs, who had the entire castle, were owners.

In the 16th century Jakob Fuchs had the castle restored and built (1519) the chapel dedicated to Sant'Anna which is located outside the entrance. When Jakob died, the family became extinct and the castle passed from hand to hand, being rarely inhabited.

The Trentino nobles de 'Bellini bought it at auction in 1716 and from these it passed to an acquired relative, Antonio Fortunato di Lodron, from whom Ettore Tolomei wanted to give the castle the Italian name of Castel Lodron, never entered into common use. The last works that changed the appearance of the castle were those that took place between 1860 and 1897, when it was owned by the archaeologist Heinrich von Siebold. In 1918 it was bought by a Hungarian captain, Mikuleczky, whose heirs sold it.

Characteristics of the castle are the two towers, one with Guelph battlements, the other Ghibelline. Another rather famous aspect is the conservation of a room used as a "drinking room", recognizable by the "vomitorium", with the inscriptions of the ancient guests. 

• Moos Castle (Schulthaus). It rises in the hilly area and is also known as Residenza Moos-Schulthaus or, even more simply, Schulthaus, from the name of the family that owned it between the 17th and 19th centuries.

More than a real castle, it looks like a noble residence.

The oldest part is the watchtower, dating back to the Romanesque age, dating back to around 1250. Certainly in 1356 Henry of Rottenburg had the structure enlarged, which became a hunting lodge. Then until the sixteenth century it was the residence of the Moos, who gave it its name. Later it often changed hands, until - around 1650 - it became the residence of the Schulthaus family, who remained there until 1850.

In all this time it did not undergo major changes, with the exception of two extensions in 1550 and 1650.: However all the families left their own mark on it. The result is an irregular structure, full of stairs and rooms at out of phase levels, yet which manages to preserve the so-called Oltradige style, characterized by South Tyrolean late Gothic elements mixed with the Renaissance style brought by the workers. The stube is in fact gothic, the kitchen instead of the Baroque period.

After the Schulthaus the castle passed to a peasant family, until in 1958 it was bought by Walter Amonn. During the restoration work, fifteenth-century frescoes were brought to light. The castle was then entrusted to the care of the Walter Amonn Foundation (1984), which made it accessible to the public. 

46.4789511.304371 Messner Mountain Museum (300 masl) (it is located in the lower part of the road that connects Ponte Adige to Cornaiano), ☎ 39 0471 631264, @[email protected]. In Ponte Adige, in the ancient walls of Castel Firmiano, there is the Messner Mountain Museum, set up by the climber Reinhold Messner and having as its theme the mountain in general. 

Sites of environmental interest

• 46.42305611.2902782 Monticolo lakes (Montiggler See). They are two small lakes (Great Lake is Small Lake) located on Monte di Mezzo (Mitterberg), a hill overlooking Vadena and divides the Bassa Atesina from the Oltradige.

Of glacial origin, they are in the middle of vast forests of conifers and broad-leaved trees in an area with a particularly favorable climate. They are very popular with tourists. In the absence of appreciable tributaries, the exchange of water is very slow for both lakes. The result is a natural heating of the water, which occurs mainly on the surface, so that a sensitive thermal stratification is formed.

Both lakes are suitable for swimming. There is a prohibition of navigation to motor boats or sailboats. In winter, lakes often freeze enough to be able to skate for a few weeks.

The Great Lake

The Great Lake (in German Großer Montiggler See) lies in a largely wooded valley of the Monte di Mezzo. About 700 meters long, it has a width varying between 200 and 300 meters. On the west bank there is a complex comprising bathing facilities, with a heated swimming pool with several pools and a slide, and also with direct access to the lake (on the pier there is a trampoline of about 3 meters). There is also the possibility to rent rowing boats. There is also a restaurant and a hotel. The locals appreciate the "rocks", on the north-east side of the lake, for sunbathing and freely entering the lake. In summer, especially on weekends, it is better to arrive early to find more space for the "rocks". From the "big rocks" some jump almost five meters into the lake. Before doing so, it is advisable to inquire, to avoid hitting the submerged rocks.

The Piccolo lake

The Small Lake (in German Kleiner Montiggler See) is located in a secondary basin, entirely wooded, about 400 meters NNE of the Great Lake. It has a semicircular shape with a diameter of about 300 meters and also has a small bathing facility. 

• Colle Joben. To the south of the Great Lake are the remains of a prehistoric settlement: the Bronze Age castle of Joben Hill (German Jobenbühel). The site, excavated in the early twentieth century and today in a state of neglect, is believed by some to be a prehistoric astronomical observatory. A second prehistoric site is located on the northernmost peak of the so-called Monte di Mezzo Col of the Omo (German Wildemannbühel, 613 m), north of Lago Piccolo. 
• Ice holes. Ice holes or glacial wells are a natural phenomenon detectable in some rock formations. In the presence of cracks between the boulders - sometimes they can be real caves - there can be a circulation of air from top to bottom which, as it cools, becomes heavier than the hot one, stagnating on the bottom of these cracks. Inside it is possible to observe real ice stalactites even in summer.

One of the places where this phenomenon can be seen is near Appiano. Here, at a height of about 500 m asl, the particular microclimate originated by the ice holes means that red rhododendron, cranberries, alpine roses and alpine clematis grow in the immediate vicinity, all species that normally grow at well higher. In the vicinity, however, you can observe botanical species that love the heat. In a very small area, up to 600 different plant species have been counted.

In other places, such as in Valchiavenna or in the Italian Switzerland, are called crotti. 

Events and parties

What to do

The landscape is very varied and offers 400 km of excellently marked hiking trails, lush Mediterranean vegetation, two bathing lakes, many places of historical and cultural interest and various fine wines produced by more than 25 wineries.

In summer, to cool off after excursions or as a main destination, you can swim in the lake or in the swimming pool of Monticolo.

The Oltradige cycle path leads along the old railway line up to Bolzano and south to Kaltern on the Wine Route.

Shopping

Especially in the hamlets, the shops are also closed on Saturday afternoons. In the months with summer daylight saving time they keep open until 19, in the winter months instead only until 18:30.

Those interested in quality meat and artisanal sausages (Speck, Kaminwurz, etc.) in San Michele:46.45558911.2584811 Windegger Butchery (440mslm), Via dei Cappuccini 10, 39057 San Michele (east side of the car park, near the school), ☎ 39 0471 662153, @[email protected]. Only here can you find the "Knabberwürzl", a fine and particularly hard variant of the cured sausage ("Kaminwurz"). He has a shop in the Maxi Mode Center. ; in San Paolo46.47233611.2607342 Rainer Butcher (440mslm), Via S. Giustina 4, 39057 San Paolo (near the church), ☎ 39 0471 665616, @[email protected]. it also does grill and catering service ,46.47210811.2610123 Ebner butcher (440mslm), via San Paolo 2, 39057 San Paolo (in front of the church), ☎ 39 0471 662570, fax: 39 0471 662570, @[email protected]. 

Supermarkets:

• 46.47111811.2624454 MPreis (440mslm), Strada Castel Guardia 14, 39057 San Paolo (At the entrance to the town, coming from the state road. Ample parking possibilities both alongside and in front, and very close, in the square known as "fire brigade".), ☎ 39 0471 665228. mid-range. Mo-Sa 08: 00-19: 00 (By company choice it is closed on Sundays and holidays, even in summer.). Small supermarket of an Austrian chain. It stands out from other supermarkets (Despar, Poli) for its wide range of Austrian products. 

• 46.44047311.2600535 Maxi Mode Center (400mslm), via Caldaro 55, 39057 Appiano (on the border between the municipalities of Appiano and Caldaro, along the wine road, at the beginning of the climb to the Mendola. Ample parking.), ☎ 39 0471 662374, @[email protected]. mid-range. 08: 00-12: 30/15: 00-19: 00 (Saturday open all day, Sunday usually closed). Micro mall. It offers a small supermarket that looks like a discount store but has standard prices, a clothing store, a shoe store and a toy store. 

"Normal" supermarkets:46.45360811.2691656 Poly, via station 72, 39057 Appiano (at the "station" roundabout with bus stops), ☎ 39 0471 660826. ;46.45410511.2647627 Despar, via station 56, 39057 San Michele (has its own parking). ;46.45506711.2599788 Despar, via station 8/11, 39057 San Michele (very close to the center). ;46.46224311.2819089 Despar, via S.Martino 23, 39057 Cornaiano (ample parking). ;

How to have fun

Where to eat

Throughout the year there are several restaurants and pizzerias open. The bars, on the other hand, are less open out of season (January-March), especially on Sundays.

Average prices

• 46.45514211.2587221 Alla Rosa Restaurant, Via Innerhofer, 2, ☎ 39 0471 662249. 
• 46.45578511.2586372 Ray of Sun restaurant, Via Johann - Georg - Plazer, 7, ☎ 39 0471 180 8034. 
• 46.45864311.2613973 Überetscher Keller Italian restaurant, Via Bolzano, 43, ☎ 39 0471 633119. 
• 46.45725711.2591654 Pizzeria Eppaner Hof Restaurant, via J.G. Plazer, 50, ☎ 39 0471 662156. 
• 46.45472911.2584145 ^{[link not working]}La Cantina pizza restaurant, Portici passage, 30, ☎ 39 0471 661324. 

Where stay

As a tourist resort there is a large offer of accommodation: from the five-star hotel that hosted the German football team to guesthouses and guest houses. Many, even guesthouses, have their own small swimming pool. Out of season (January-March) the offer is significantly reduced.

Average prices

• 46.44550311.2601711 Hotel Pension Alexandres, ☎ 39 0471 660270. 3 star hotel 

High prices

• 46.45564211.2814432 Weinegg Hotel, via Lamm 22, 39057 Cornaiano. It hosted the German national team on the occasion of the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cup retreats. 

Safety

Pharmacies

• 46.45514311.2602734 Pharmacy S. Anna, Via Stazione, 17 (opposite the Despar, in the center of the village), ☎ 39 0471 662167. 
• 46.45436211.2659195 San Michele Pharmacy, Via Stazione, 99, ☎ 39 0471 663338. 
• 46.47113511.2619086 St. Pauls Pharmacy, Via Castel Guardia 14 / b (in San Paolo, behind the MPreis supermarket), ☎ 39 471 665897. 

How to keep in touch

Post office

• 46.45537911.2621977 Italian post, road Madonna del Riposo 1 / A, ☎ 39 0471 662207. 

Around

• Bolzano - Main city of South Tyrol is the administrative and economic capital. Its historic center admirably blends the Nordic architectural and urban characteristics with the Italian ones, showing itself with a tone of elegant elegance.
• Egna - Its main feature is given by the arcades that create a suggestive atmosphere especially in the main street. It is part of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
• Merano - Important center at the confluence of Val Venosta, Val Passiria, Val d'Adige is Val d'Ultimo, the city was until the fifteenth century the capital of Tyrol, when the capital was moved to Innsbruck. It still maintains strong links with the Germanic world and boasts a beautiful historic center.

Itineraries

• Castles of South Tyrol - A journey to discover the South Tyrolean manors which, born for military purposes, later became largely refined stately homes, centers of culture, examples of fine architecture, testimony to the greatness of the families who built them.
• South Tyrolean wine route - The itinerary touches 15 South Tyrolean municipalities (many of which have added the specification to their official name … .On the Wine Route) and affects an area ofOltradige-Bassa Atesina intensely cultivated with vines and rich in wine production among the most important in the peninsula.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Appiano on the Wine Route
• Commons contains images or other files on Appiano on the Wine Route

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