City of Bressanone (Brixen)
Bressanone is the third largest city in the province of South Tyrol and is located in the middle of Eisacktal (Eisack Valley). As one of the oldest cities in Tyrol, its history goes back to the 10th Century (founded in 901 AD). With an area of 84.87 square kilometers, only about a quarter has been permanently settled. The altitude is variable and lies between 538 and 2,576 meters above sea level. Brixen has 21,189 inhabitants, the majority being part of the German-speaking ethnic community. Nearly 25% belong to the Italian ethnic community.
What’s the Weather like in Brixen?
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What’s happening in Bressanone
The city of Bressanone is geologically unique, as the area reaches an altitude of about 559 meters above sea level in the center and up to 2,542 meters at local mountain Plose. This not only opens up a wide variety of options for recreational activities in summer and winter, but also a cultural highlight: almost nowhere else will you find the city and mountain villages so close together. Proximity to the Italian region is also reflected and results in a resemblance of South Tyrolean and Italian (refined pleasure) culture.
Winter in Brixen
On the Plose, ski guests can look forward to 40 km of slopes split up into all levels of difficulty. One highlight is the Trametsch: at 11 km it is one of the longest downhill runs in the Alps and when descending, you can enjoy a view of the Dolomites – a must see when skiing in South Tyrol. Since 2008, the Plose Fun Park has offered ambitious freestylers the chance to try out their jumps. The ski resort is only 7 km from the center of Brixen and, with an over 10 km long “RudiRun” toboggan run, romantic sleigh rides and snowshoeing possibilities, it also offers some alternatives to skiing sports.
Summer in Brixen
Due to its geological uniqueness, Brixen offers active sporting and cultural options alike. The nearby local mountain is not only accessible by foot on one of the well-connected hiking trails, but also by mountain bike or e-bike. Those who are particularly ambitious can also ascend the mountain via trail run with a view of the main Alpine ridge and the Dolomites. More than 300 participants take advantage of this opportunity each year in the Brixen Dolomites Marathon. For families, the Woody Walk offers a specially-designed hiking trail with numerous games and teaching stations for the little ones.
Back in the city center of Brixen, a completely different type of holiday and recreational activity is revealed: culture and history meet here in almost every location. A unique feature is the Cathedral Square in the center of “Centro Storico”, the historically protected old city. You can still see today that Bressanone was a diocesan town in the Middle Ages with a number of sacred buildings such as the Bishop’s Münster District, the monastery of Neustift or the parish and rural court chapel bearing witness to this.
The medieval roots are also evident in the museums, such as the Hofburg Diocesan Museum. Definitely worth a visit is the landmark of the city of Bressanone, the 72-meter-high White Tower in Gothic style with its impressive bells.
