Top 9 Historical Places to visit in Bolzano

Surrounded by the Alps, in the middle of a valley, is one of the best cities to visit in Italy. Located in Trentino-Alto Adige, the city of Bolzano, “Bozen” in German is the capital of South Tyrol.  Get our free Travel Checklist

Which are the top historical places to visit in Bolzano? You ask. Now let’s go deeper into the top historical places to visit in Bolzano and why you might choose one over another.

Visit Bolzano Cathedral (Duomo di Bolzano)

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is a Gothic style architecture and the most important church in Bolzano. As its name suggests, it is dedicated to Our Lady of Assumption.

The bell tower of the Cathedral is 65 meters high and stands out within the Duomo square. In addition to the bell tower, its porticoes flanked by lions, the image of Santiago de Compostela and the fresco of Mamma delle Chiacchiere stand out on the outside.

The interior of Bolzano Duomo is also a must-see. Inside you will enjoy the treasure museum and a great of items in the Germanic baroque style typical of the Tyrolean region.

Dominican Church

The Dominican church in Bolzano, together with its cloister, is one of the first Gothic-style buildings to be made in the city. It is located in Piazza Domenicani.

The structure is famous for the medieval frescoes on its walls, based on the school of Giotto of Padua. The frescoes are in the chapel of San Juan, they were painted during the first half of the 14th century.

They tell biblical stories of different characters such as San Nicolo, San Juan, and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The complex is made up of the Capuchin church and the Franciscan cloister. Entry is free, although it is necessary to leave an offering to see the frescoes.

The opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Visit The Beautiful Roncolo Castle

The Roncolo Castle is the best known in Bolzano. It was built in 1237, although the structure has been enlarged and modified several times. It is located on a rocky outcrop, with forests around it.

Inside the building, there are beautiful frescoes where scenes of daily life in the palace are collected, such as life at court, or chivalry tournaments. The state of conservation of the frescoes is extraordinary and is one of the largest in Europe.

To go to the Roncolo Castle, you can get there along the Lungotalvera promenade, either on foot, by bicycle or by car. You can also get there by bus that takes you from Plaza Walther. Entering the Roncolo Castle.

The opining hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. between Tuesdays and Sundays, and closed on Mondays.

Stroll Through the Historic Centre

One of the things to do in Bolzano is to walk through its streets and enjoy the hidden corners. Inside the old town, we have to walk along Via Bottai and Via Streiter, where several small medieval-style businesses sell iron badges.

Via della Mostra and Via Argentieri are where the life of the city unfolds and the palaces of the bourgeoisie are found. Finally, we cannot stop walking along Via dei Portici with its arcades and arcades and being a commercial street since medieval times, so we can find very old businesses.

Walking through the centre of Bolzano will take us back to a bygone era and is one of the essential things to do in the city. Make sure you made those experience on your visit to Bolzano.

Visit Walther Square for Its Historic Origin

The main square of the city is Plaza Walther. It receives this name in honour of Walther von der Vogelweide, a German poet who has a statue in the centre of the square.

Something that peaks to the German influence in the city. This square is also nicknamed the Sala Buena and is always very colourful and busy, thanks to its very well connection.

Walther Square is a place to visit in Bolzano.

Visit Piazza delle Erbe

This Piazza is a popular place in Bolzano, situated between via Museo Road and the Arcades. Along the road, you will see stands selling their goods all year round.

Despite being in the mountains, plants and trees grow in Bolzano with a Mediterranean climate thanks to the fact that the city is on volcanic rock and maintains the heat. This is a nice place to visit on your trip to Bolzano.

Enjoy Your Visit to Bolzano Archaeological Museum

There are several museums that we can visit in Bolzano, including the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Natural Sciences, and the Mercantile Museum. Although the most important museum is the Archaeological Museum, where we can see a mummy that was found in the 5,300-year-old Similaun Glacier, known as the Otzi mummy, or the iceman.

It is one of the oldest mummies that have been found, that has helped to know how men lived thousands of years ago. In Bolzano Archaeological Museum, we can also see more pieces and utensils that men have been using throughout ancient history.

Check out Messner Mountain Museum of Bolzano

Messner Mountain Museum Bolzano is a museum in the city of Bolzano, Italy. It is located on the top of Mount Reschen, a mountain that has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

The museum was founded by Reinhold Messner and opened to the public in 1984. It is one of the most visited museums in Italy and attracts around 150,000 visitors each year.

Messner Mountain Museum Bolzano exhibits objects that Reinhold Messner collected during his expeditions to Mount Everest and other mountains around the world. You want to see this on your visit to Bolzano.

See the Stone men by Giancarlo Mazzanti

Stone men is a sculpture that was created by the artist Giancarlo Mazzanti. The piece was installed in the city of Val Bolzano, and it appears like a stone man with his arms raised in surrender and his head bowed down.

The sculpture has been criticized for being too dark, as it is difficult to see what the figure is doing. However, some people have found it to be an interesting piece, as they feel that it can be interpreted differently depending on who you ask.

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