Waltherplatz (Walther Square) in Bolzano

Today, the Waltherplatz is undoubtedly the central square of Bolzano and also the largest square in the old town. It has always played an important role in history, with the respective rulers - the Austrian Emperor as well as Benito Mussolini - using it for their staged appearances, and the armies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy marching here.

Nevertheless, it is also the youngest square in the center, because until the beginning of the 19th century, there were vineyards here - in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral. The vineyard was owned by the King of Bavaria. In 1808, King Maximilian I. Joseph sold the vineyard to the city of Bolzano for 3000 guilders with the condition of building a square on it.

The city fathers adhered to the agreement, and consequently, the new square was initially named after the Bavarian King "Maximiliansplatz". Later it was renamed "Johannesplatz" after the popular Austrian Archduke Johann. In 1889, on the initiative of the German-speaking national liberal bourgeoisie, the statue of the legendary minnesinger Walther von der Vogelweide was erected, which the Vinschgau artist Heinrich Natter had created from pure white Laas marble. And in 1901, the square finally received its current name: Waltherplatz.

The Walther monument was created in response to the recently erected Dante monument in Trento. Both monuments were politically motivated and symbolized the claims of the German and Italian nationalists to hegemony in the region. When South Tyrol fell to Italy after World War I, the Walther statue also became the target of the fascists. In 1935, the monument was moved to the less central Roseggerplatz. Only in 1981 - after another world war, numerous political disputes, and an autonomy statute - could the Walther statue return to its original location.

It should be noted that neither Dante had anything to do with Trento, nor did Walther von der Vogelweide have anything to do with Bolzano. The latter was long claimed to be the birthplace of the South Tyrolean municipality of Lajen, but this assumption is now considered to be disproven. Today, little remains of these protracted disputes. The Waltherplatz is the site of numerous events, markets, and events. The atmospheric Christmas market in particular attracts thousands of visitors to the center of Bolzano every year. In the past, a train even ran directly from Waltherplatz to Gries and to Ritten. The last action that brought the Waltherplatz into the headlines was quite harmless: four trumpet trees that line the square had to be removed in early 2012 and then replaced with more robust magnolias.