Maranza: Mountain Views and Local History

Maranza brings together religious art and local traditions with the mountain landscape around Gitschberg and summer activities. When planning your stay, you can choose between a focus on culture, views from Gitschberg, and activities in the meadows and mountains. The cattle drive from the alpine pastures in October also gives the annual cycle a distinctive local connection.

Church Art and Local Traditions

The Church of St James in Maranza stands on a site that was already used as a place of worship in pre-Christian times. Beside the main entrance on the south side of the church tower is a large fresco of St Christopher dating from the late 15th century. This place thus brings together a history of early religious use and a specific work of late-medieval art.

Another local landmark is the memorial called “Linde” or “Jungfrauenrast.” It marks the spot where, according to legend, the Three Virgins are said to have rested on their way to Maranza. The fresco and the memorial highlight different things: sacred art takes centre stage in one, while the other commemorates a local tradition whose story is expressly told as a legend.

Gitschberg: Views and Hiking Trails

Gitschberg rises above Maranza and shapes the mountain landscape for summer and winter activities. The panoramic viewing platform is located at an altitude of 2,510 metres. In clear weather, the 360-degree view from there extends across more than 500 mountain peaks. In summer, the platform is a hiking destination reached by several trails.

From Maranza, the route first takes you on the Nesselbahn cable car; in summer, you then follow Trail No. 12 for a little over an hour on foot to the platform. The valley station of the Gitschberg-Nesselbahn is close to the centre of Maranza, and the cable car takes visitors to an altitude of 2,113 metres. If you are planning this outing, keep the cable-car ride and the subsequent walk in mind as separate sections.

Maranza is known as the “sun terrace” because of its south-facing location. Together with Gitschberg, which defines the landscape above the village, this name gives an impression of how closely the village and its mountain landscape are connected.

Summer Activities in the Altfasstal and the Mountains

In summer, the meadows and mountains around Maranza are ideal for walking, hiking, mountain biking and paragliding. The Almenkneippweg trail in the Altfasstal offers a different focus: it passes four Kneipp stations. There, you can walk through water, feel the forest floor and discover medicinal herbs. This makes for a clear contrast when planning your day: the Kneipp trail focuses on the stations and the sensory experiences they offer, while Gitschberg is about altitude and, in clear weather, sweeping mountain views.

October Cattle Drive and Return Journey

In October, Maranza celebrates the cattle drive from the alpine pastures: farmers bring their livestock back to the barns. If you are planning your trip around this event, check the exact date for the year in question. From Maranza, you can take the bus back to Rio di Pusteria. If you plan to use this connection, check the timetables for your travel day.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Natz-Schabs, Villanders, Rodeneck, Lajen, Barbian, Villnöß, Mühlbach, Brixen.

Back to the main travel overview: Eisack Valley.