A Stroll Through the City’s Neighborhoods: Rencio and Gries
A Stroll Through the City’s Neighborhoods: Rencio and Gries
There is one district that more than any other highlights Bolzano’s deep connection with wine: Rencio. Wine production in Bolzano is rooted in an ancient and enduring tradition, represented by the city’s two most iconic wines: Lagrein and Santa Maddalena.
Lagrein is one of South Tyrol’s most important indigenous grape varieties, while Santa Maddalena is a wine made from a blend of Lagrein and Vernatsch, another native grape. This wine takes its name from the hill of Santa Maddalena, located in the northern part of Bolzano and part of the Rencio district, which was for a long time separate from the historic city center.
Atop the hill stands the Santa Maddalena Church, home to an excellently preserved cycle of 14th-century frescoes. Other must-see sites include the San Lorenzo Church (first mentioned in 1180, with a round apse and a bell tower dating back to 1712) and the School Museum, which offers an insight into the history of multilingual education in South Tyrol from the late 19th century to today.
Annexed to Bolzano in 1925, Gries was once a holiday destination for many prominent figures of the Austro-Hungarian era. In 1845, the Benedictine monks of Muri, Switzerland, took over the ancient Augustinian abbey, whose imposing Baroque façade still dominates Piazza Gries-Gries Platz today. The church interior features stunning frescoes by Martin Knoller, while the former fortress tower, now the bell tower, houses the largest bell in South Tyrol. The monastery complex is also home to a prestigious winery.
Just a few meters from the square, the Old Parish Church of Gries, built in Gothic style, holds remarkable treasures: a wooden altarpiece crafted by Michael Pacher in 1475, a Romanesque crucifix from the 13th century, and an ancient cemetery.
From the square, a walk along Via Fago reveals medieval farmsteads and historic wineries. Continuing uphill, the street meets Via Sarentino, where you will find the Mauracherhof, a heritage-protected farmhouse. On the left, at the foot of the San Genesio plateau, stands the elegant and majestic Drusus Tower. Further north, at the entrance to the Sarentino Valley, lies Runkelstein Castle, known for having one of the largest cycles of secular frescoes from the medieval period.
Image: Muri-Gries Abbey, Courtesy Benediktinerkloster Muri-Gries.