Meran, Stadt#

Meran (Merano, South Tyrol, Italy), town, alt. 325 m, pop. 32,547 (1910: pop. 11,568 incl. garrison), tourist and health resort in the upper Adige Valley at the mouth of the Passirio river; in the region and district community of Burggrafenamt; particularly favourable climate. - District commission, local court, health resort with spa, grand promenades and numerous villas, tram to Lana, hospital, sanatoriums, Gymnasium secondary school, abbeys, Institute of Mary, local museum and theatre, Volksschauspielhaus (people´s theatre), 6 Catholic churches. - Very early colonisation, developed due to its location at the intersection of several traffic routes, status of town 1317. Until the 15th century, great importance as seat of the town´s sovereign court in Castle Tirolo, which was transferred to Innsbruck around 1420, until 1480 capital of Tyrol; the mint was moved to Hall around 1475, afterwards commercial centre, and educational centre (Gymnasium der Benediktiner von Marienberg - secondary school of the Benedictines from Marienberg abbey) centre since 1725. One of the oldest tourist resorts in the Alps. - Local parish church of St. Nicholas (14th century, restored by Fr. von Schmidt ), painting by M. Knoller, with a High Gothic tower (80 m high), Gothic frescoes, stone sculpture (around 1350) and winged altarpiece; St. Barbara chapel (1423-1450) with a fresco of St. Christopher (around 1450); hospital church (15th century) with Gothic frescoes; in Untermais/Maia Bassa, St. Vigilius Church with Romanesque tower and Gothic choir (nave from 1936); Romanesque Gothic church of Maria Trost/St. Maria del Conforto with Romanesque frescoes (12th century). Large parts of the medieval city centre have been preserved; town gates "Passeiertor" (Passirio Gate), "Boznertor" (Bolzano Gate), and "Vintschgertor" (Val Venosta Gate), arcades ("pergolas"), castle of the sovereign "Castello Principesco" (around 1480) with frescoes in the castle-chapel, numerous castles: e.g. Zenoburg/Castello San Zeno (12th to 13th centuries) with a chapel in late Romanesque style. Several other castles in the vicinity.

Literature#