Bolzano

Bolzano (Bozen) is often dubbed ‘Gateway to the Dolomites’. The city lies in a broad valley basin at an altitude of 265 metres (870 ft), with three beautiful Alpine high plateaux of rolling hills encircling it from north-east to north-west. It is difficult to avoid Bolzano Bozen if you are coming from south to reach the Dolomites, the breathtaking pak rocks now Unesco World Natural Heritage.

South - The Iceman
Ötzi, the man from the ice, can be seen at the nearby Archaeological Museum.

Just 10 km from Eppan, it is well worth a visit. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm and on Thursdays from 10 am to 8 pm. It is closed on Mondays. Open on Bank Holidays, but closed on 1st January, 1st May and 25th December.

Castel Runkelstein – Castle of pictures
Castle Runkelstein presents the biggest cycle of medieval paintings with secular themes. Because of that this art-historical jewel is called “castle of pictures”.
The castle was erected by the two brothers Friedrich and Beral, Lords of Wangen.
The brothers Niklaus and Franz Vintler, descendants of an old and wealthy merchant family of Bozen bought the castle in 1385 and let it illuminate inside and outside with the frescoes.
The so-called summer-house was erected in 1390 by the Vintlers too. Inside you can see the terra- verde (green-earth) – paintings with the themes of the novel of Tristan and Isold and one of the oldest presentations of king Arthur’s round table as a wall-painting.
Contrary to the -literary themes of the summer-house you can find inside the western palace in five rooms scenes of the daily life of the nobles. Especially fascinating is the chamber of bath and the hall of the joust.
In summary it may be said that the frescoes are a testimony of the daily life of the nobles, the fashion of this time the joust and the ideas of the end of the 14th century and an art-historical, invaluable jewel of the medieval time.