Bruneck, Medieval town in Pustertal Valley, South Tyrol, Italy
Bruneck sits in the Pustertal valley of South Tyrol and extends across six districts at roughly 838 meters (2749 feet) elevation. The settlement lies at the meeting point of the Ahr and Rienz rivers, where the Tauferer Ahrntal and Gadertal valleys converge.
Bishop Bruno von Kirchberg founded the settlement in 1250 by building a castle on a hillside. This fortification was meant to secure trade routes between Augsburg and Venice and quickly grew into an important crossroads.
The town's inhabitants speak three languages in daily life, with about four-fifths using German, one-sixth Italian, and a small group speaking Ladin. This mix appears on street signs and shop fronts, where several languages often sit side by side.
Train services run toward German, Austrian, and Italian cities, and several stations offer direct access to the cable car heading up to Kronplatz. Those who wish to explore the surroundings will find hiking trails and viewpoints at different elevations.
Atop the Kronplatz summit stands the Messner Mountain Museum Corones, designed by architect Zaha Hadid. This museum presents exhibitions on alpine history and mountaineering within a modern building set into the landscape.
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