Search Navigation Map
Search

Hofburg Brixen / Bressanone

Until the year 1803, the Hofburg in Brixen, located at Hofburgplatz 2, was the residence of the Prince-Bishops and until the year 1973 the residence of the bishops of the diocese. Today, the Hofburg houses the diocesan archive, the nativity museum, and the diocesan museum.

Hofburg in Brixen
Hofburg in Brixen

The Hofburg in Brixen is a four-winged palace building with three floors and two front buildings. The entrance to the castle is located on the east side, formerly only accessible via a drawbridge. Today, a brick bridge leads over the moat to the stucco-decorated entrance hall. The visual courtyard axis is formed by the portal system and the west wing. The interior of the castle also offers numerous sights, such as the court church, the bishop's and emperor's tract, and the court council office.

The foundation of the diocesan museum dates back to 1897, but it was not opened until four years later. The museum was mainly founded to preserve endangered works of art. In addition, it also served as a teaching collection for various educational institutions. Another essential part consisted of objects from the Brixen Cathedral. In addition, numerous art objects, panel paintings, and sculptures from the Diocese of Brixen were added. These were either gifts, loans, or purchased by the museum.

An essential part of the museum is medieval art. The collection includes, for example, early Gothic and late Romanesque madonnas, late Gothic sculptures or panel paintings by Hans Leinberger, Vigil Raber, or Jörg Lederer. In addition, the collection also includes manuscripts, textiles, and liturgical objects. Other artworks presented in the museum come from the Renaissance, Baroque, as well as the 19th and 20th centuries. The Brixen Cathedral treasure is also very well known, documenting the sacred culture and art development in the Middle Ages and the Baroque period. Part of the treasure is still in use and can be found in the cathedral sacristy. In 2001, the province of South Tyrol also purchased the Siegfried Unterberger collection and made it available to the Hofburg as a permanent loan. The works mainly include portrait and genre painting, as well as landscape representations.

Crib collection

Already under Prince-Bishop Karl Franz Graf Lodron, a great nativity tradition was established in Brixen. He had a yearly nativity scene made by Josef Benedikt and August Alois Probst, consisting of 5000 figures depicting the entire life of Jesus. Another nativity scene was set up in the church of the castle, created by Franz Xaver Nissl. The large-scale representations by Nissl and the Probst brothers with their expressive gestures form the main part of the nativity scene collection.

How do you like the content of this page?
Please give us your feedback!

Recommended accommodations

Icon Vacation apartment

Pichlerhof

Racines

The Pichlerhof in Racines/Ratschings offers you cozy, modern and comfortably furnished vacation apartments in a prime location.

Request   Details

Homepage   Heart icon notice
Icon Wellness Hotel Icon Family Hotel Icon Hiking Hotel Icon Ski Hotel

Hotel Bacherhof

Maranza ★★★★

The Bacherhof is the ideal place for fans of action and relaxation seekers in both summer and winter. In the mountain village of Meransen at 1,350 metres above sea level, the friendly hotel delights with its views, spa area, and the many activity options in the Rio Pusteria/Gitschberg Jochtal area.

Request   Details

Homepage   Heart icon notice
Icon Wellness Hotel Icon Family Hotel Icon Hiking Hotel Icon Motorcycle Hotel

Hotel Senoner

Spinges/Rio di Pusteria ★★★

With much love and personal commitment, this feel-good hotel is already managed by the fourth generation of the Senoner family.

Request   Details

Homepage   Heart icon notice
Icon Hiking Hotel Icon Mountainbike Hotel Icon Ski Hotel Icon Motorcycle Hotel

Hotel Schölzhorn

Racines ★★★s

3 star superior – NEW INDOOR SWIMMING POOL – extended SAUNA AREA - roof terrace - 290 meters

Request   Details

Homepage   Heart icon notice
Icon Wellness Hotel Icon Family Hotel Icon Hiking Hotel Icon Luxury Hotel

Feuerstein Nature Family Resort

Fleres/Colle Isarco ★★★★★

With a private lake and wellness centre, Feuerstein Nature Family Resort is set at an altitude of 1,250 m. Offering panoramic views of the mountains and valley, it is 10 minutes‘ drive from Colle Isarco.

Request   Details

Homepage   Heart icon notice
Hotel of the
Month
Hotel Plunhof

★★★★sAlto Adige

Hotel Plunhof
  • most family-friendly wellness hotel
  • enjoy the winter landscape
  • cross-country skiing paradise
  • Spa Minera Acqua Minera
  • spicy wines
  • be active together

Top Hotels

The best
tips

Vacation Offers


Close
Close