Learn more about customs and traditions in South Tyrol and experience culture in the Dolomites during your holidays in San Costantino.
Music festivals
The Schlern region offers from the middle of July to the middle of August the Summer Classic at Siusi allo Sciliar (distant 3 km), at the beginning of July the Jazz festival at Castle Presule and at last the Schlern International Music Festival at Fiè allo Sciliar. In Winter on the programm is Swing on Snow at beginning of february.
Farmer's museum
S. Osvaldo (distant 5 km) is a district of Castelrotto located on a fertile high-altitude plateau which extends over the precipitous slopes high above the Val d'Isarco. Michl Jaider of the Tschötscherhof remembers the old days before the war well – back when everyone had to pull his own weight when plowing the cornfields, helping with the hay harvest, working in barns and stalls or in vineyards. When he took over the farm and the adjacent inn from his father, the modern era had already begun. Tractors replaced yoked oxen, automatic threshers replaced scythes, and the growing of grain was displaced by the more-profitable dairy industry. Of course, all of the old equipment was now only in the way, but the young Michl didn't want to throw it away. Too many vivid memories from his childhood were connected with it…
Opening hours:
March 1 - November 30
Thursday to Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
School museum in Tagusa
In Tagusa (distant 8 km) near Castelrotto you can go back in "school-time" and have a look at a collection of school-furniture and didactic documents, found and obtained at the original places.
Opening hours:
Easter - November 1
Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Martha's Herbal Garden
The "Pfleger" farm is a smaller estate located on a steep slope below Siusi allo Sciliar near St. Oswald. The farmer's wife and her children have dedicated themselves to the growing of herbs, and they devote a lot of skill and effort to growing and drying herbs and using them to make teas, herbal cushions, and herbal salts. Their demonstration garden open to the public is home to more than 200 different kinds of herbs, and resembles a paradise of floral scents, aromas, and colors.
Guided tours: from July - August every day from monday - friday, in may, june, september and october every friday. The farmers shop is open every day from monday-saturday from 10:00 am to 05:00 pm, in the summer months from 10:00 am to 06:00 pm.
The guided tours and all other event are carefully planed and detained from qualified persons. Therefore they ask a partecipation fee. Phone. +39 0471 706771.
The Aichach Ruin
It is the ruin of a castle once belonging to the lords of Aichach in the 12th century, whose decline goes back to the bloody battles against the lords of Castelrotto. The lords of Castelrotto got hold of the castle and kept it until 1741. The nearby “Pflegerhof” is also worth a visit. Here different sorts of tea and aromatic herbs are grown and sold. Hiking route no. 7a from Siusi.
The Parish Museum of Fiè allo Sciliar
The Parish Museum of Fiè allo Sciliar is located in the S. Michele chapel. The former cemetery chapel exhibits late gothic sacred art from the churches and chapels of the surrounding areas. The crowning jewel of the Parish Museum certainly is the triptych from the church of S. Pietro sul Colle.
Opening hours:
June - end October
Churches and chapels
There they stand, bearing the signs of the effects of time, wind, and weather, standing on the wayside. Often inconspicuous, lonely, or standing at notable, historical places. In the Sciliar region, we encounter them often enough, but in the hectic of day-to-day living, we frequently pay them hardly any notice. We are talking about votive panels, shrines and religious markers which have been such an inseparable part of our rural agricultural and religious tradition.
The Parish Church of Maria Himmelfahrt at Fiè allo Sciliar (distant 3 km)
The Parish Church of Maria Himmelfahrt is built in the late Gothic style but, inside, combines interesting elements from all epochs of art history.
The church as we know it today dates back to 1515-1520. The oldest work of art inside the church is a Roman crucifix from around 1200. The visitor has a beautiful view of the late Gothic high altar that was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style. The fittings inside the church include the pulpit and organ loft from the late Baroque period, as well as the remains of a fresco and an early Baroque altar.
Holy Mess (in german language)
On the Alpe di siusi and in the surrounding villages the catholic holy mass is celebrated (protestant service in Bolzano). Times are shown bellow.
Saturday: 7:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am and 7.00 pm
The new parish church in Seis
It was started in 1937 and it was consecrated to the Holy Cross in remembrance of the catholic jubilee year 1933. The church was then consecrated in 1950; the clear structure of the walls refers to the strict forms of basilicas. The bell tower got five new bells in 1962.
The old parish church in Seis
Maria Hilf" is the old parish church of Seis and it is situated in the centre of town; it is built in a typical early Baroque and it was consecrated in 1657. One altar and one bell were probably brought here from the castle ruin Salegg. The 14 stations of the way of the Cross are particularly interesting because in their frames we can see "Arma Christi", instruments of suffering or torture; they date from the 18th century. The pulpit is also quite remarkable.
St. Konstantin Church
The church enjoys a picturesque location on a porphyry hill and is popularly known as “Kristanzen”.
Castles & ruins
Castelvecchio, Presule Castle, Salego Ruins: Discover the world of magic around castles and ruins on the Alpe di Siusi in Alto Adige.
Castle Prösels: Fine ladies and strong knights
The castle was built between 1490 and 1520; it is a typical fortress of the time of Maximilian I. with a gothic chapel in the courtyard. The halls are decorated with magnificent frescoes and ornaments.
Every year there are a series feasts and events at Castle Prösels; the rich programme includes six classical concerts, matinees and various evening concerts. There is also an art gallery, the “Tischlerhaus”, where well known artists exhibit their pictures and sculptures. During the summer we have the nights of castle Prösels, the castle is open for visitors until midnight. Apart of that you can see castle Prösels almost every day with guides.
Castle Prösels open his doors daily in line with a guided visit from the beginning of May to October. To see: the idyllic chapel, the chambers of sovereighn Leonhard von Slls or the tapping-inspiring armoury.
Oswald's Castle
The poet Oswald von Wolkenstein inherited one-third of Castle Hauenstein (near Siusi distant 3 km) from his parents. The knight Martin Jaeger was the owner of the other two-thirds, who thus also owned two-thirds of all of the farmsteads in the vicinity that belonged to the castle. The two of them took poor care of the castle until Oswald married Margarete von Schwangau. And that's when the struggle for the ownership of the castle broke loose.The Salego ruin near Siusi (distant 3 km)
In the middle of the forest, on a hill to the south of Siusi, stand the remnants of the once proud Fortress of Salego. Not far from it, on the same hill, you'll find Hauenstein, the fortress of the poet Oswald von Wolkenstein. It is believed that a subterranean passageway once connected the two castles, which are about half an hour apart by foot. It is thought that this passageway once harbored a treasure in gold and silver.
The witches of the Sciliar Mountain
The Sciliar has been centre of magical powers since primeval times.
Various demons were soothed with all sorts of burnt offerings on the Burgstall hill and the Roterdspitz. The most terrible things happened in the seventeenth century after the Counter – Reformation; people were literally searching for victims which could be blamed for natural and personal disasters. The Sciliar area was considered a meeting place for the devil and the witches. Nine women were condemned to death around the area of Völs/ Fiè: they were accused of being witches and of being responsible for bad weather. We will never how many women were condemned to death or tortured in the entire Sciliar area; there were also accused of taking part in the witches feast, of having an indecent relationship with the devil, of riding on brooms through the night and of other sacrileges. They were accused of damaging the population with the help of the devil, causing too much rain. The symbol of the witch on the broomstick has now become a popular and positive symbol for the Sciliar area.
The Kastelruther Spatzen
Three times a year the “Kastelruther Spatzen” invite their fans for concerts in their home town. The Open Air in June, the “Kastelruther Spatzen”-Festival in October and the Christmas Concert are fixed dates in the calendar. At those times all friends of the folk music and, of course, the fans of the group around Norbert Rier have the possibility to experience their stars live.
Oachner farmstead trail
An idyllic autumn walk past historical farmsteads, through chestnut groves and deciduous forests below the Sciliar/Schlern mountain.
Our tip
Some of the farmsteads along the route are traditional taverns serving South Tyrolean specialities. It is certainly worth taking a short break or stopping for lunch.
The “törggelen” - from the Latin word “torquere” which means pressing wine
South Tyrolean smoked bacon, dumplings and more
The “törggelen” is an old tradition in South Tyrol. There are several towns in the Val d’Isarco, or especially along the wine road near Bolzano, where there have always been great feasts at the end of the wine harvest. Traditionally all neighbours, helpers, friends were invited to a rich “Marende”, a snack with several traditional dishes including fried chestnuts and “Susser”, the new sweet, slightly sparkling wine with just a little alcohol.
What exactly did this “Marende” consist of? It was a very rich meal with Sauerkraut, Tyrolean dumplings and smoked pork, homemade pork sausages or cold cuts with smoked homemade sausages, cheese and homemade rye bread. Traditional deep fried pastries with cranberry or chestnut filling were also served with fried chestnuts. The “Susser” was especially delicious with these dishes.
Today most traditional inns serve these dishes from October to the middle of November.
The "Almabtrieb" - a century old tradition.
The “Almabtrieb” is the healthy return of man and beast from the high alpine pastures. It doesn’t always take place at the same time; it depends mainly on the weather. In Siusi it will take place on the beginning of October every year.
This return is cause for celebration when no fatal accident happened during the summer and reason to organize a unique festival with music and dance; these festivals in September, October were traditionally the official end of the alpine summer.
The cattle are decorated with crowns of alpine roses, mountain pine, carline thistle and silk flowers; especially the leading cow is decorated in a very pompous style. On her crown with flowers, twigs, silk ribbons there are also mirrors and bells to advert evil and a cross to symbolize Christ.
Local markets and special markets
A shopping experience
South Tyrol has a long market tradition and so has Kastelruth. We have farmers’ markets which are very successful. In Bozen there is a very big market every Saturday, you’ll be surprised how many articles you’ll find there on offer.
Shopping hours:
Generally speaking shops are open from Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 12.00noon and from 3.30pm to 7.00pm and on Saturday from 8.00am to 12.00 noon. During the high season shops are also open on Sarufday afternoons. In the event of any doubt aks us.
Here is a small list of the markets in Kastelruth and its surroundings:
Tuesdays: Seis – farmers’ market
Wednesdays: Völs – weekly market
Thursdays: Kastelruth and Seis – weekly market
Fridays: Kastelruth - farmers’ market
Saturdays: Völs - farmers’ market
On top of that you’ll find so called flee markets, which sell all sorts of curiosities.
The traditional market of the Alpe di Siusi is on the 2nd of September; in the old days it was a cattle market for farmers, now it has become a traditional market for everybody.
You’ll get creative tools, toy and decorative articles at the craftsmen’s market.
