Bolzano

Bolzano

Bolzano, also known as Bozen, is the capital city of South Tyrol, a province in northern Italy. It is the largest city in South Tyrol with about 108,245 people. The area around Bolzano has around 250,000 people and is part of the Alps.

The city has the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, where students can study in Italian, German, and English. Bolzano also has important offices for the Italian Army's Alpini units. In 2020, Bolzano was named one of the best places to live in Italy.

Bolzano works with other towns to protect the Alps. In 2009, it was named Alpine Town of the Year for its efforts in sustainable development. With Italian, German, and Ladin spoken there, Bolzano connects Southern Europe and Northern Europe.

Names

The city of Bolzano has had different names throughout history. In the 8th century, it was called Bauzanum and Bauzonum. Today, it is called Bolzano in Italian and Bozen in German. Both languages are used in the city and nearby areas. You might see both names together, like at the Bolzano/Bozen railway station or the university (Bozen-Bolzano).

Ladin, another language spoken nearby, calls the city Balsan or Bulsan.

Geography

Location

The city of Bolzano covers an area of 52.3 km². It is where three valleys meet: the Sarntal, Eisacktal, and the Adige Valley. The city has a highest point of 1,616 metres and a lowest point of 232 metres. Nearby big cities include Trento, about 58 km away, and Innsbruck, about 118 km away.

City districts and neighbouring communities

Bolzano has several districts. Nearby communities include Eppan, Karneid, Laives, and others.

Climate

Bolzano has warm summers and cold winters. The city's valley location keeps it warmer than other mountain areas. Some parts of the city have cooler summers, and the nearby mountains are colder.

Demographics

The city of Bolzano has grown and changed a lot over time. In 1300, about 1,500 to 2,000 people lived there. By the late 1400s, this grew to about 3,000 to 4,000 people. In 1900, 13,904 people lived there, and most spoke German.

In the mid-20th century, the population grew quickly as new areas were built. In 1975, Bolzano had its largest number of residents ever, with 107,112 people.

As of the end of 2022, 106,107 people lived in Bolzano. About 15,000 of these people were from other countries, many coming from Albania, Morocco, and Pakistan. Bolzano is a special place where German and Italian cultures meet, and many people can speak more than one language.

History

See also: Timeline of Bolzano

Prehistory and Roman settlement

Long ago, the land where Bolzano is now was wet and home to the Raetian Isarci people. They were thought to come from Etruscan people who left Italy. The Romans came and built a settlement there in 15 BC. They named it Pons Drusi (Drusus Bridge) after the Roman general who led them. This place became part of the region called Venetia et Histria in ancient Italy.

In 1948, people found an old Christian church from the fourth century while digging at the Cathedral. They also found a Roman grave with writing in Latin from the third century. This showed that a person named Secundus Regontius was one of the earliest known people in Bolzano.

Bavarian settlement

Later, Bavarians began to move into the area in the seventh century. The first time a Bavarian ruler was mentioned in Bolzano was in the year 679. They called the nearby villages Bauzanum or Bauzana. In 769, a leader named Tassilo III made an important document in Bolzano that started a special place called Innichen Abbey. From then on, German-speaking people lived in the Tyrol region.

Bishopric of Trent

In 1027, the land around Bolzano was given to the bishops of Trent by the emperor Conrad II. Later, in the late 1200s, the bishop made a market town along a street called Lauben. This made Bolzano an important place for trading between Augsburg and Venice over the Brenner Pass, a high mountain road.

County of Tyrol

In 1277, a ruler named Meinhard II took control of Bolzano, which caused a fight between the rulers of Tyrol and the bishops of Trent. In 1363, the County of Tyrol became part of the Austrian House of Habsburg. In 1381, a duke named Leopold gave the people of Bolzano the right to have their own town council. This took away much of the power the bishops of Trent had over the town. In 1462, the bishops gave up all their control over Bolzano.

From the 1300s to the 1400s, Bolzano held big markets four times a year for traders and merchants traveling over the Brenner Pass. In 1635, an Austrian duchess named Claudia de' Medici created an official group to manage trade. This helped make Bolzano a meeting place for different cultures in the Alps.

After the Holy Roman Empire ended in 1806, Bolzano became part of the Kingdom of Italy under Napoleon. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, it went back to the Austrian Empire and later to the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867. The area included what we now call South Tyrol, Trentino, and the state of Tyrol in Austria.

In the late 1800s, Bolzano grew quickly from about 12,000 people in 1890 to over 28,000 in 1910. The number of people who spoke Italian changed during this time.

Annexation by Italy

In 1918, after World War I ended, Italy took control of South Tyrol, including Bolzano. This was agreed upon internationally in 1919. At that time, most people in Bolzano spoke German, with only a small number speaking Italian.

Capital of an autonomous province

After World War II, agreements were made to give rights to the German-speaking people in South Tyrol, including the use of their language and self-government. These agreements helped create peace and ended disputes between Italy and Austria about the region.

Economy

Bolzano has a strong economy that mixes old and new ways of making money. The city is known for its high-quality farming, including growing wine, fruit, and making dairy products. Tourism and traditional crafts like wood and ceramics are also important. While big factories from the past are mostly gone, the city still relies a lot on the public sector and the local government.

The city is important for business and trade between Italy and Germany. It hosts big events where leaders meet to talk about important issues. Bolzano is also home to many companies and research centers. These places work on new ideas in technology, energy, food, and more, helping to create a sustainable future. The university and other research groups in Bolzano work together to study many different subjects.

Politics

The last municipal elections were held in 2025. Ten different parties won seats on the city council. The Brothers of Italy and the Südtiroler Volkspartei each got seven seats.

In 1996, the European Union helped bring together the Austrian province of Tyrol and the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino for better culture and economy. This was called the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino.

See also: List of mayors of Bolzano

Main sights

Bolzano has many interesting places to see that show its mix of Italian and Austrian cultures. You can visit the Franciscan Friary, walk down Sparkassenstraße, and explore Kornplatz and Obstplatz.

Some of the main sights include the Walther Square with a statue of Walther von der Vogelweide, a famous German singer. There is also Laubengasse or Via dei Portici, a lovely street with old arches and many shops. The Gothic Cathedral is another important building, started long ago in 1184. Other places to see are the Waaghaus in Kornplatz, the Old Parish Church of Gries, and the Muri-Gries Abbey. You can also visit castles like Castle Maretsch, Runkelstein Castle, and Firmian/Sigmundskron Castle.

Culture

Museums

• South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology shows the famous Ötzi mummy and other old objects from the South Tyrol area. It is one of the most famous archaeology museums in Italy.
• Runkelstein Castle was built in 1237 by two brothers. The castle is known for its old paintings from the Middle Ages.
• Bolzano City Museum has many artworks like paintings, sculptures, and everyday objects from South Tyrol. The museum was built in 1905 and plans a new building.
• Nature Museum South Tyrol teaches about rocks, plants, and animals in the area. It shows how the landscapes like the Dolomites formed.
• Museion is a museum for modern and contemporary art. It opened in 1985 and moved to its current location in 2008.
• Mercantile Museum of Bolzano tells the story of Bolzano's trade history. The museum is in a building that was once an important trade place.
• Bolzano School Museum shows how schools in South Tyrol developed since 1774. It includes displays about special schools.
• Bolzano Cathedral Treasury shows special religious art, including old paintings and gold work.
• MMM Firmian is part of a museum group started by mountain climber Reinhold Messner. Located at Sigmundskron Castle, it focuses on mountain climbing history and art.
• Semi-rural House shows what life was like for workers in a neighborhood built in the 1930s.
• Documentation Center "BZ '18–'45: one monument, one city, two dictatorships" at the Victory Monument tells about life in Bolzano and South Tyrol during a difficult time. It was the first museum in Italy to explore this period.
• Pons Drusi Museum is in a retirement home and shows old pieces like paintings and pots from Roman times. The walls show parts of an old temple.

Libraries and archives

• Tessmann Library
• University Library of Bozen-Bolzano
• South Tyrolean Provincial Archives
• Civic Archives in Bozen-Bolzano

Cinema and theater

• Bolzano Civic Theater opened in 1999. It has two halls and shows plays in both Italian and German.
• Concert Hall Bolzano also opened in 1999 and home to the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento. Every two years it hosts the famous Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition.
• Haus der Kultur Walther von der Vogelweide is a theater in the city center that mainly shows German plays.
• Teatro Cristallo is outside the center and mostly shows Italian plays.
• Stadttheater Gries in the Gries-Quirein district shows plays in German and Italian.
• Theater im Hof on Obstplatz focuses on plays for children and young people.
• Carambolage in the city center offers improvisational theater and comedy.
• Batzen Sudwerk under a 600-year-old brewery holds cultural events.
• Teatro Cinema Rainerum at the Rainerum Institute holds about 400 people.
• Filmclub Bolzano has three rooms and shows films by local directors. It also hosts the Bolzano Filmfestival.
• Cineplexx opened in 2009 and shows mostly German films, with some in Italian and English.
• UCI Cinema opened in 2015 and shows mostly Italian films, with some in English and German.

Cultural events

Bolzano holds many special events each year:

• Südtirol JazzFestival lasts up to 10 days with many concerts by jazz musicians.
• Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition happens every two years, started by the Conservatory of Music "Claudio Monteverdi" to honor Busoni.
• Bolzano Filmfestival Bozen began in 1987. It helps local filmmakers and connects them with audiences. Films in Italian and German are shown.
• Bolzano Festival Bozen each summer features classical music with groups like the European Union Youth Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester.
• Tanz Bozen - Bolzano Danza is an international dance festival each summer.
• Christmas market Bozen, founded in 1990, is Italy's first Christmas market. It is the most visited in Italy, with stalls around the old town.
• Bolzano ShortFilmFestival gives awards for best short films. It first happened in 1968.

Education

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

The Free University of Bozen-Bolzano started in 1997 and is in the city of Bolzano. It teaches in three languages: German, Italian, and English. It was the first university in Europe to offer courses in three languages. The university also has locations in Brixen and Bruneck. It works with universities in Innsbruck and Trento through the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino. The university has five main areas of study:

• Economics
• Computer science
• Design and arts
• Science and technology
• Education

State College of Health Professions "Claudiana"

The State College of Health Professions "Claudiana" began in 1993 and has been near the regional hospital of Bolzano since 2006. It was named after Claudia de Medici, a leader of the Austrian County of Tyrol. The college trains health workers, like nurses and midwives, and teaches in Italian and German.

Conservatory "Claudio Monteverdi"

The conservatory "Claudio Monteverdi" is a music school in Bolzano. It was founded in 1927 and named after the famous Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi. The school is located in the Dominican monastery and is known for its piano competition held every two years, the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition.

Transport

Bolzano is connected by major roads such as the A22 motorway. It links to cities like Trento, Verona, Innsbruck in Austria, and Munich in Germany. The MeBo dual carriageway connects Merano and Bolzano. It finished in 1997 to help travelers.

The city has a train station that opened in 1859. It is part of an important railway route between Italy and Germany. It connects to nearby towns, and many fast trains stop here.

Bolzano plans to build a light rail system. It will cover about 7 kilometers with 17 stops. There are also many bike paths, and many people ride bicycles.

In the past, Bolzano had regular flights to Rome. During summer, special flights go to places like Cagliari, Olbia, Lamezia Terme, and Catania.

Since 1966, a cable car has linked the center of Bolzano to nearby areas. In 2009, it was updated to a modern system.

Sport

Bolzano has a special running race each year called the BOclassic. It happens on New Year's Eve and has races for both men and women. The race began in 1975 and is shown live on TV.

The city is also where the Giro delle Dolomiti bike race happens every year.

Local teams

Football

• FC Südtirol (Serie B)
• AC Virtus Bolzano (Eccellenza)
• Bozner F.C. (Eccellenza)
• Asd Oltrisarco (Prima Categoria)
• Haslacher SV (Seconda Categoria)
• F.C. Gries (Seconda Categoria)
• F.C. Neugries (Seconda Categoria)

Handball

• SSV Bozen Handball A-Elite Liga

Ice hockey

• HC Bolzano Bozen Foxes plays in the ICEHL.

Rugby

• Bolzano Rugby play in the Italian Serie C

Softball and baseball

• Adler
• Pool 77
• Softball Club Dolomiti

Fistball

• SSV Bozen plays in the FBL (Austrian Fistball League).

People

Notable people born in or associated with Bolzano include:

From the 18th century, Joseph Tiefenthaler was a Jesuit missionary who wrote about India. Johann Nepomuk von Tschiderer zu Gleifheim served as Prince-Bishop of Trent.

In the 19th century, Daniel Harrwitz was a German chess master. Anton Ausserer was a naturalist who studied spiders. Julius Perathoner was the last mayor of Bolzano of German ethnicity.

The 20th century saw many notable figures, including Josef Mayr-Nusser, a South Tyrolean leader of the resistance, and Maria Luise Thurmair, a Catholic theologian and writer. Carlo Maria Giulini was a conductor, and Silvius Magnago was a lawyer and politician.

In sports, Erika Lechner won medals in luge at the Winter Olympics. Gerda Weissensteiner earned gold in luge and bronze in bobsleigh at different Winter Olympics. Antonella Bellutti was a two-time Olympic champion in track cycling. Isolde Kostner and Karen Putzer both won medals in alpine skiing. Carolina Kostner was a World Champion and Olympic bronze medalist in figure skating.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Bolzano has friendly connections with these cities:

• Erlangen, Germany
• Koziatyn, Ukraine
• Sopron, Hungary