!!!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 15%%sup th/%  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 (14%%sup th/%  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 (15%%sup th/% 
 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 (12%%sup th/%  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 (12%%sup th/%  to 
13%%sup th/%  centuries) with a chapel in late Romanesque style. 
Several other castles in the vicinity.

!Literature
C. Stampfer, Geschichte von Meran, der alten Hauptstadt 
des Landes Tirol, 1889; B. Pokorny, Aus Merans Werdezeit (1870-1900), 
1929; O. Gluderer, Beitraege zur Geschichte Merans im 17. Jh., 
doctoral thesis, Innsbruck 1961; C. Musil, Beitraege zur Geschichte 
Merans im 18. Jh., doctoral thesis, Innsbruck 1965; A. Greiter. 
Beitraege zur Geschichte der Stadt Meran von 1840-1860, doctoral 
thesis, Innsbruck 1971; F. Huter, Handbuch der historischen Staetten, 
Oesterreich II: Alpenlaender, Suedtirol, %%sup 2/%1978.


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