San Giovanni nella valle Aurina

At an altitude of 1018 meters, the extremely idyllic San Giovanni nella valle Aurina / St. Johann is located. The largest village in the Ahrntal looks back on a eventful history. The life of the Oberkofler brothers had a significant influence on it. The talented pair of brothers was born in San Giovanni / St. Johann and gained fame and honor far beyond the national borders. Johann Baptist Oberkofler was a priest and painter, his older brother Joseph Georg Oberkofler worked as a priest and poet. Both of them spent much of their lives in Brixen, studying and supporting the church in and around the Brixner Cathedral. The fact that the memory of the two is highly valued in the Ahrntal is proven by the Oberkofler Museum in San Giovanni / St. Johann. Visitors can get a picture of the life and work of the famous brothers here. An impressive exhibition that shows what two people can achieve in the course of their lives.

Another piece of cultural history can be seen from afar: the church of the village, dedicated to John the Baptist. Mighty and imposing, it stands with its unique dome tower in the heart of the village. Worth seeing: the magnificent high altar by Franz Schöpf inside the church.

A hike around San Giovanni / St. Johann offers some variety from the cultural discovery tour. The village is centrally located in the middle of the Ahrntal and is therefore the ideal starting point for all kinds of activities. Here you can really let your soul dangle: sit in the lush green meadow, enjoy the view of the Zillertal Alps, breathe in the fresh and clear mountain air deeply, and take in the beauty of the alpine surroundings.

You can see for yourself the treasures found in the surrounding mountain world at the privately run Mineral Museum Kirchler. The idea for the museum was born out of an almost uncontrollable passion for collecting, and now more than 100 minerals and gemstones can be viewed on site. They come from the Zillertal Alps as well as from the area of the high Tauern and are partly a proud 30 million years old.

But there are also other exhibition highlights waiting on 300m²: the largest smoky quartzes in South Tyrol and reconstructed alpine clefts. If you want to learn about the healing effects of certain crystals and gemstones, you should definitely visit the museum's multimedia room. Films show under what, sometimes dangerous conditions, the gems of nature can be found and how they are used for healing.

A long-forgotten craft has been brought back to life in the Ahrntal. Formerly "just" a pastime, today it is a lived tradition in the St. Jakob Carving School. To make good use of their free time on the alpine pasture, shepherds began early on to carve various figures and grimaces out of wood. Mainly witch and devil faces as well as suns were created. The sometimes fine, sometimes coarse work requires a lot of knowledge and skillful handling of the knife. Vacationers who are interested in this art can literally watch the carvers at work in the Ahrntal and then take home a unique souvenir.