Bressanone Tourist Attractions
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Top Tourist Attractions in Bressanone
SituationBressanone (German Brixen), the third largest town of the Alto Adige, lies in a broad part of the Isarco valley on the Brenner motorway.
Cathedral
The eastern edge of the Old Town of Bressanone is dominated by the Baroque Cathedral of the Assumption. Its plain, flat facade reveals a Lombard influence; the Neo-Classical portico supported on pillars and columns was not added until 1785. The lower sections of the two west towers are relics of its Romanesque predecessor.The single-naved interior with its vaulted roof is flanked on each side by altar-chapels separated by marble-clad columns. The ceiling of the nave has a giant fresco by Paul Troger (1750); he was also responsible for the painted ceiling in the choir.
Bressanone Cathedral - Cloisters
From the right of the portico a corridor leads to the cloisters, which were originally built in the Romanesque period (around 1200). Special mention should be made of the magnificent and partly restored frescoes on the vaulted ceiling, dating from the Gothic period (1390-1510) and portraying scenes from the Old and New Testaments. On the east side of the cloisters a passage leads to the cathedral treasury (closed on Sun.).
Bressanone Cathedral - Church of St John
On the southern edge of the cathedral and cloister complex stands the church of St John, a Romanesque building from the period after 1200, with a Gothic vaulted ceiling and 13th-15th century frescoes.
Parish Church of St Michael
To the north of the cathedral in Bressanone will be found the original Parish Church of St Michael dating from c. 1500. In 1757-58 the interior was renovated in the Baroque style and the ceilings painted by Josef Hauzinger. In the churchyard, in a niche in the outside wall of the cathedral, is a figure in memory of the poet Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445).
Court Palace (Hofburg)
Southwest of the cathedral in Bressanone stands the former royal episcopal palace, now restored. There was a castle here from 1260, which gave place in 1595 to a new Renaissance palace, which was not finally completed until 1710; the latter stages of construction show Baroque influence. In the typical inner courtyard with its three-storyed loggias stand terracotta figures (1600) by the master sculptor from Schongau, Hans Reichle.
Diocesan Museum
The collection in the Bressanone Museum in the palace includes medieval and modern works of art, paintings and porcelain and a world-famous collection of cribs.
Seminary
Southeast of the cathedral precincts in Bressanone stands the block of buildings housing the seminary. It was founded in 1607 and the buildings are Baroque. In 1764 the church of the Crucifixion was built on to the existing main façade. The interior contains frescoes by Franz Anton Zeiller.
Cusanus Academy
Adjoining the priests' seminary in Bressanone are the buildings of the Cusanus Academy which was officially opened in 1962.
New Cathedral Chapter
The Augustinian New Canonical Cathedral Chapter was founded in 1124 and completely renewed only fifty years later. There are several blocks of buildings enclosing two courtyards. At the entrance to the monastic precinct stands the Romanesque Chapel of St Michael ("Engelsburg" or Castle of the Angels), a unique Romanesque round building with battlements.An arched gateway leads into the monastery courtyard proper where stands a pretty octagonal Renaissance fountain with its canopy decorated with frescoes.
Monastery Church
The triple-naved Basilica to Our Lady dates from the time when the monastery was first built in the late 12th century; it underwent considerable changes during the Baroque period, however, especially between 1734-37. The ceiling frescoes are by Matthias Günther. The monastery's Late Baroque library with its multicolored parquet floor, rocaille ornamentation and delicate gallery deserves special attention; the Gothic cloisters with their frescoes and the paneled pinacoteca are also worth seeing.
