Brixen

Brixen lies in a valley at the confluence of Rienz and Eisack rivers. The town, founded in the year 901, is situated at about 40 km north of Bolzano on the Brenner Motorway (as a matter of fact the Brenner Pass, on the Italy-Austrian border, is only 45 km far). It is the main town of the Comprensorio Valle Isarco. Brixen is the historical, artistic, cultural, economic, social and administrative centre of the Eisack Valley. Situated in a valley at about 560 a.s.l., Brixen is surrounded by beautiful mountains which attract many tourists every year. A few kilometres away there is the Brenner Pass while Brunico, a renowned tourist resort, is at only 35 kilometres. This charming alpine town is rich in monuments such as the Cathedral (13th century), the Bishop Palace and the Diocesan Museum, the Giardino dei Signori (park) and the fountain in Piazza Duomo. Sportspeople can choose from a wide selection of activities here in Brixen. During the summer, you can go swimming in the new swimming pool and you can go for walks or excursions into the beautiful natural alpine environment of the Dolomites. In winter, lovers of winter sports come into their own in the skier's paradise of Plose, Brixen's Hausberg: you can go skiing and snowboarding, without any stress and hurry and, most importantly, without any queues. And for shopping addicts, Bressanone offers many stores to choose from. Brixen is the third largest city of Trentino region. Two thirds of its population speak German, the remainder speaks Italian and there is also a small percentage of Ladin people. Brixen boasts many historical and artistic monuments, especially religious buildings since the town was under the Papacy rule for a long time. The Bishop Palace is home to the Diocesan Museum where you can find both religious masterpieces and modern art. The Duomo of Maria Assunta, rebuilt in 1174, houses beautiful frescos by Troger, together with the high altar by Benedetti and the characteristic Neoclassic pronaos by Jakob Prichstaller. Other important sites are: the Church of San Giuseppe (1748), rebuilt after the fire of 1839, the Church of the Madonna (1210) and the Church of Santi Gottardo ed Erardo, built in the 13th century.