The cathedral, the cloister and the Hofburg
In the Valle Isarco, at the confluence of the Isarco and the Rienza rivers, surrounded by vineyards and mountains, Bressanone (Brixen) is the oldest town in Tyrol: from the end of the tenth century until 1803 it was the seat of the prince-bishops of Brixen, who ruled over a vast territory, and its historic centre still reflects this ecclesiastical past, with churches, convents and the bishop's palace, in an atmosphere of quiet elegance.
The Cathedral, rebuilt in baroque style in the eighteenth century, with two tall bell towers and an interior rich in marble, gold and frescoes by Paul Troger, overlooks the large Cathedral Square. Next to it, the Romanesque cloister is one of the most important art treasures of the Alps: its arcades are covered with Gothic frescoes of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, with scenes from the Bible, saints and allegories, including a famous elephant painted by an artist who had never seen one, so it looks like a horse with a trunk. The Hofburg, the former palace of the prince-bishops, a Renaissance building with a beautiful three-storey arcaded courtyard and a moat, houses the Diocesan Museum, with the cathedral treasure, sacred art and a famous collection of nativity scenes, among the largest in the Alps. The old town has arcaded streets, such as the Portici Maggiori and Minori, with shops and inns. In December, the Christmas market in Cathedral Square is one of the most beautiful in South Tyrol.
Tip: from Bressanone, a cable car climbs to the Plose, with views of the Dolomites; the Abbey of Novacella is three kilometres away.
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