Old Town of Bolzano: Interesting buildings and winding alleys

One of the most popular places in the Bolzano old town are the so-called arcades, under which visitors can stroll and shop excellently. The selection of boutiques and shops is large, and after an extensive shopping tour, there is also the opportunity to stop by one of the numerous cafes. Also remarkable is the Old Town Hall, which today houses the city archive. Take a look here at the narrow passages that lead to the parallel streets, as they impressively show the structure of the residential buildings, business premises, and workshops.

The most important square in Bolzano is the Waltherplatz, which is often also referred to as the "Good Parlor". It was built in 1808 by King Maximilian of Bavaria and was also named after him at that time. It was later renamed "Johannesplatz" until it finally received the name Waltherplatz in 1901 – in memory of the famous minnesinger Walther von der Vogelweide. The "Walther" can be found in the middle of the square, it is made of the popular Lasa marble and was created by the sculptor Heinrich Natter.

The colorful fruit market in the center of the old town is also well-known. Here, at numerous market stalls, vegetables, fruits, flowers, bread, cheese, or bacon are offered for sale every day (except on weekends). Also worth seeing is the Neptune fountain at the corner to Laubengasse. The bronze Neptune stands together with three dolphins on a marble pedestal, and they spout water into the basins below.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary with its colorful roof tiles is also extremely worth seeing. When exactly the church was built cannot be said definitively, but it is certain that a church was already located at this place in the Middle Ages. The construction of the current cathedral probably began in the 14th century and was completed in 1519 with the erection of the tower. The church was severely damaged in World War II and then rebuilt. Of particular importance are the neo-Gothic side altars and the late Gothic frescoes that survived the war unscathed.