Gries Tourist Attractions
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The suburban district of Gries (273m/901ft), lies at the foot of the hill of Guncinà (Guntschna-Berg) and was formerly a popular winter resort noted for its mild climate. The old central area is surrounded by numerous villas set in trim gardens.
Benedictine Monastery (Old Parish Church)
On the east side of the main square of Gries is a Benedictine monastery, originally built as a castle, with a beautiful church in late Rococo style (1769-78; ceiling paintings and altarpiece by Martin Knoller). Not far to the northwest stands the old Parish Church of Gries (15th-16th centuries).
Pacher Altar
The chief feature of the interior of the Benedictine monastery in Gries and at the same time one of the most important Gothic works of art in the Alto Adige is the beautifully carved altarpiece by Michael Pacher with a representation of the Coronation of the Virgin, now to be seen in the Erasmus Chapel. Also of interest is a 12th century Romanesque-Byzantine crucifix.
Passeggiata del Guncinà
To the north of the Old Parish Church in Gries is the beginning of the Passeggiata del Guncinà, an attractive path which winds its way up the hill and ends at the Reichrieglerhof hotel (45 min). The hotel can also be reached by road (3.5km/2mi) from the Victory Monument by way of Via Cadorna and Via Miramonti.
Passeggiata (Sant'Osvaldo)
Beyond the St Anton Bridge are Castel Sant'Antonio and the beginning of the Passeggiata Sant'Osvaldo, affording fine views, to a height of 400m/1,320ft and then runs down past the picturesque village of Santa Maddalena to the suburban district of Rencio (Rentsch) on the road to the Brenner (1.25 hours).
San Genesio Atesino, Italy
A little way north of the St Anton Bridge over the Talvera a cableway and a well engineered panoramic road lead up to San Genesio Atesino (Jenesien; 1,087m/3,587ft; also reached on a narrow road), a village which is a popular health resort with magnificent views of the Schlern and the Dolomites.
