Brunico: Old Town, Museums and Historic Trails

Brunico is the centre of the Kronplatz region and the main town of the Val Pusteria. In the historic centre, medieval lanes and buildings meet museums, churches and paths along the Rienz River. If you are looking for a hotel in Brunico, you can plan your stay around whether you want to focus mainly on the old town, the collections or the Historic Trail.

Old town between lanes and the Rienz River

The lanes and buildings of the historic centre preserve their medieval origins almost intact. The historic old town stretches from Oberragen to the Ursuline Church and Tschurtschenthaler Park. This means that several parts of the urban area belong to this historic district, with Stadtgasse forming one of its defining sections.

Colourful medieval townhouses line Stadtgasse, along with shops, restaurants and cafés. The Rienz River flows right through the historic old town, adding a distinctive riverside landscape to its lanes. Both the Pustertal Cycle Path and a hiking trail run along the Rienz promenade. The town’s history and riverside trails therefore offer different ways to plan your stay.

Museums with different focuses

The Messner Mountain Museum RIPA is housed in Brunico Castle. It displays equipment used by peoples such as the Sherpas, Incas, Tibetans and Mongolians, as well as many others. It also focuses on the ways of life of cultures that have lived in and with the mountains for centuries. The equipment and the ways of life on display offer visitors a glimpse into different mountain cultures.

On the ground floor, the ECK Museum of Art presents a permanent exhibition of Late Gothic works by Michael Pacher, Friedrich Pacher, Simon von Taisten and Veit von Taisten. Another of the museum’s main focuses is the collection, presentation and scholarly study of 20th-century prints from the region and around the world. The ECK Museum of Art opened in 1995 in restored and adapted former postal stables. The Late Gothic works and 20th-century prints thus represent different art-historical themes within the museum.

Churches and the Historic Trail

The crypt of the Ursuline Church is the oldest part of the entire monastery building and dates from around 1410. The Rain Church was built around 1340 by Nikolaus der Stuck of Brunico and is dedicated to Saint Catherine. Both churches have a place in the townscape today, each with its own historical context: the Ursuline Church dates back to around 1410, while the Rain Church was built around 1340.

The Historic Trail begins at the Ursuline Church and leads past the Forest Cemetery to Brunico Castle, either via a suspension bridge or Forest Trail No. 22. From the castle hill, the trail descends to the Rain Church and into Stadtgasse. The route thus connects several of the places mentioned above, while the two options—via the suspension bridge or Forest Trail No. 22—offer a specific choice of route.

The Forest Cemetery lies on a wooded hill south of Brunico. It is the resting place of the remains of hundreds of soldiers from different countries and denominations. Commissioned by the town, it was established in 1915 as the final resting place for the many soldiers who fell in the First World War. This site adds a reminder of the war dead to the historic impressions of the old town.

Trails and connections in the region

Brunico’s public transport network has two railway stations and numerous strategically located bus stops. There are regular connections from Brunico to Riscone and Valdaora; from there, cable cars lead directly to the summit of Kronplatz. If you want to use these connections when planning your trip, check the timetables, as service frequency varies.

The Rienz promenade offers another way to explore Brunico: the cycle path and hiking trail run side by side along the river, while the Historic Trail connects churches, the cemetery and the castle. Which of these themes you explore further depends on whether you want to focus your trip more on local history, art or trails.

The Kronplatz region is also home to many producers who sell their products directly from their farms. Visitors can sample the products there and meet the producers. This glimpse of the region extends across the Kronplatz area and adds another perspective on the surrounding area to Brunico’s urban attractions.

Discover more destinations: Percha, Badia, Mühlen in Taufers, San Martino in Badia, Falzes, Terento, Floronzo, Colfosco

Return to the regional travel overview: Val Pusteria.