Our next stop in northern Italy is Bolzano, or Bozen in German.
Bolzano is a town located in a valley in the Alps in northeastern Italy not far from Austria. Until the end of World War I, Bozen was part of Austria. The border was moved and Bozen became Bolzano inside Italy. Who knew?
After some napping and a long ride, we arrived in Bolzano and enjoyed a light dinner at a local beer garden.
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| They know dessert in Bolzano. |
It was a very nice day, capped off with a beautiful sunset over the Alps.
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| Sunset in Bolzano |
The next day, we enjoyed a city walk in Bolzano's historic center. If we did not know better, we would have sworn we were somewhere in Austria or Germany. Bolzano is about as un-Italian as you might imagine. The architecture, street names, food and other characteristics evoke a Tyrolian town. Despite concerted efforts over the decades since WWI, the Austrian character of the town persists.
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| The SudTirol-Alto Adige area was once part of Austria and is now part of Italy. |
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| Map of Bolzano/Bozen |
Below are some photos from our walk. The photos illustrate Bolzano's enduring Austrian character
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| Bolzano: The town hall |
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| Bolzano: One of many decorated buildings |
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| Bolzano: The Fortserbräu restaurant building |
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| Bolzano: A main street in the heart of the city lined with the former shops and homes of the city's merchants |
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| Bolzano: In one of the town's main squares is a statue depicting Austrian poet Walther von der Vogelweide. The statue is a political statement expressing Austrian nationalism. After Bolzano had become part of Italy, the Fascist government in the 1930's moved the statue to an out of the way park. After nearly 50 years, the statue was returned to its original location. |
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| Bolzano: The Neptune fountain |
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| Bolzano: A drinking fountain with cool, clear water |
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| Bolzano: Not every structure in the town is Austrian. Above is a a triumphal arch in the Roman/Fascist-style erected during the 1920's by the Fascist government. The arch is a political statement with multiple messages, including Bolzano is an Italian town and Austrians are not welcome. In the 1970's, separatists loyal to Austria attempted to blow up the monument. |
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| Bolzano: A flower stand in the central market |
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| After a long walk, some random hottie lounges in the hotel lobby |
Next Up: More beautiful Bolzano
Pop Quiz: The structure pictured below is:
A) A submarine out of the water
B) The world's coolest McDonald's restaurant
C) A museum designed by architect Frank Gehry
D) A mountain climbing center
If you answered D, you are correct. The building, known as the Cube, is an indoor/outdoor climbing and bouldering center. It even has a 30 foot overhang for extreme climbers. Click here to learn more.
Bolzano and the nearby mountains are a sports mecca for all sorts of enthusiasts: hikers, climbers, skiers, kayakers, runners, bicyclists and so on.
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