Meraner Land: Tesimo and Prissiano

Tesimo and Prissiano

The Tesimo plateau is located in a beautiful location at the eastern slope of the mountain. It offers a rather mild climate and the landscape is characterized by fruit and chestnut gardens.

It is believed that this area was populated during the Bronze Age, since historical documents prove the existence of a Longobard defence facility called Tesana, which was later destroyed by the Francs. Furthermore, the tomb of a German warrior dating back to the 6th Century was found in this area at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Tesimo lies at 635 metres above sea level and meanwhile holds numerous touristic structures for all demands. In ancient times Tesimo provided a renowned break point on the mule track that connected the Adige Valley and Val di Non. Even today the road to the Palade Mountain Pass (1,518 m), which leads directly to the villages in the Val di Non Valley, leads through Tesimo.

Prissiano is located at 617 metres above sea level and here you can take a deep breath of pure air. The climate is mild and very comfortable. The village is surrounded by flower fields and green fruit gardens, which, in combination with the hospitality of its inhabitants, make Passiria the ideal place for spending relaxing and regenerating holidays.

Amongst the sites to visit in this area we can mention the San Giamcomo di Grissiano Church with frescos dating back to the 12th Century, the San Ippolito Church dating back to 1340, which has the oldest church bell in the area (dating back to 1556), the Assunta Parish Church, which was restructured in 1521 and holds a precious glass painting drawn by Augusta and which is famous throughout the whole of Tyrol, and the San Michele Chapel, which has beautiful late-Gothic frescos and a crypt in the lower floor, where skulls and bones are preserved.

Those, who visit this area will be impressed by the large number of castles which can be found everywhere in the surroundings. The castles all date back to the 12th and 13th Century and are now all in private possession. Worth mentioning: Valle/Fahlburg Castle, San Erasmo/Wehrburg Castle, Zwingenburg Castle and Greifeneck Castle and the remains of Casaccia Castle.

Another curiosity worth being mentioned: - in Prissiano you can also find Gatto Castle (Schloss Katzenzungen in German), where a gigantic vine is supposed to grow, the largest in Europe they say. Due to this gigantic vine they produce an excellent wine, which is filled by its owners and also holds a certificate of origin. Furthermore, the raw materials for felt assume an important role in this area. An international felt meeting is organized in this area every year, where all felt producers have the opportunity to present their work.