ALPS
REGION
WHERE ART MEETS THE MOUNTAINS:
HIGH-ALTITUDE MUSEUMS,
WINE ROADS, ARTISTS ATELIER, RENOVATE CASTLES
In South Tyrol and Trentino breathtaking nature and historic heritage meet the boldest experimentations of contemporary art and culture. Between the picturesque old centre of Bolzano and the grassy banks of the Talvera River, the MUSEION Museum with its cubic structure designed by Berlin architects KSV, sits an outstanding institution of Italian contemporary design. In an exclusive visit to Delle Nogare Foundation on the edge of town we will explore a true jewel of contemporary architecture hewn into the porphyry rock and a rare home-museum, boasting works of international acclaim from the 1960s to the present.
We will follow the steps of Werner Tscholl, the most radical and renowned master among South Tyrolean architects. Tscholl's wine cellar in Tramin, a daring construction of iron, concrete and glass, stands in contrast to a bucolic countryside backdrop. Just as in his refined project for Puni whisky distillery in Glurns, Tscholl reworks elements of rural architecture, wondrously producing one of the most stunning historical villages in Italy.
We will then dive into the world of Messner Mountain Museums, including MMM Firmian in Sigmundskron Castle, redesigned by Tscholl, a refined marriage of museum design and living historical record, and MMM Corones, designed by Zaha Hadid, located between Puster and Gader Valley, which contains breathtaking scenery.
Discovering the old centre of Brunek, we will then meet the charming Moessmer Tuchfabrik, the oldest industrial company in South Tyrol and one of the few textile companies still manufacturing in fully integrated production — from wool to high-quality fabrics -- moreover hosting the studio of internationally known artist Julia Bornefeld.
In Borgo Valsugana valley we will encounter Arte Sella Park, a unique creative project combining mountain nature with contemporary wood sculpture Most of the sculptures at Arte Sella are made with natural materials and have their own life cycles; they change with the seasons and will eventually decompose, returning themselves to the earth.
Art Highlights
PASSO DEL ROMBO
A museum by Werner Tscholl Architects. Located on the border of Germany (North Tyrole) and Italy the Pass Museum points out towards the South Tyrole side with its boulder-like structure, highlighting the international character of the Timmelsjoch Experience
ANTONIO DALLE NOGARE FOUNDATION
A private villa turned into an art foundation with a conceptual and minimalist art collection of the 1960s and '70s
Architectural Highlights
PUNI WHISKY DISTILLERY
The first whisky distillery in Italy designed by architect Werner Tscholl
THE NEW SCIENCE MUSEUM BY RENZO PIANO
A sensory journey through architecture, science and nature
MESSNER MUSEUM BY ZAHA HADID
The museum of the legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner designed by Zaha Hadid, built on the top of the Kronplatz mountain, at an altitude of 2,275 meters above sea level.
ARTE SELLA
Art in the wild: an open air museum in the heart of an Alpine mountain valley featuring works designed to blend with - and disintegrate back into - their natural surroundings.