Vacation in Glorenza / Glurns

Almost 800 inhabitants and already a city: that's Glorenza / Glurns in Vinschgau, an architectural and cultural-historical gem. The historic, partly medieval city center with its churches, picturesque alleys, arcades, and 16th century townhouses is almost unchanged. The impressive city wall with its massive battlement towers, roundels, and gates is completely preserved. Thanks to extremely careful restoration work, Glurns has managed to keep up with the present while still preserving its unique picturesque character.

Already in Roman times, Glorenza was an important traffic junction on the Via Claudia Augusta, from which trade routes branched off to Graubünden and Lombardy. The first documented mention of Glorenza dates back to the year 1163. Count Meinhard II granted the town market rights in 1291, and by 1304 Glorenza is already mentioned as a city. Its heyday in the late Middle Ages was due to trade, especially trade in salt and ore, which brought wealth and influence. However, in 1499, in the Battle of Calven, the army of Emperor Maximilian I was defeated by the Bundners, who subsequently looted and burned Glorenza.

Glorenza was rebuilt as a bulwark against Graubünden and fortified with the still existing city wall. However, with the loss of the Grisons hinterland and the simultaneous change in trade routes, as the Eisack Valley and the Brenner Pass became passable, the economic decline began. Glorenza could no longer match its former heyday, and on top of that, there were plagues, fires, and floods. At times, the formerly famous city held the dubious record of the lowest population of any city in Europe, with small-scale agricultural structures dominating the former trade center.

However, it is thanks to these circumstances that Glorenza has hardly changed since the 16th century and the historic cityscape has largely been preserved. In the 1970s, with scientific collaboration, the gentle and comprehensive restoration of the city began. Thanks to this successful revitalization, today we have in Glorenza a particularly picturesque piece of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, which greets us intact and authentic.

The best way to start a city tour of this architectural gem is at one of the city gates and initially follow the course of the wall. Depending on your mood, you can then explore the many charming corners of Glorenza by venturing into the narrow alleys. The visit concludes at the town square with an espresso or a fine meal.

Did you know that the illustrator, painter, graphic artist, and caricaturist Paul Flora was born in Glorenza? At his own request, Flora was also buried in the cemetery of his hometown after his death in May 2009.