2024 Sept 15 Sunday

Bressanone/Brixen Italy

Sunday morning was partly cloudy but we expected to see a few quick things and then catch a train for Bolzano. 

4.9 miles, 12,324 steps.

No Relive video for the day.

We headed out from the hotel passing the white tower one more time. They weren’t working too hard to get people to to climb the tower, so I got Richard away without climbing this one.

This was actually a Saturday morning band that I forgot to include yesterday. Click below to enjoy a bit of the show.

We were planning to visit the Diocesan Museum in the old Bishop’s Palace. It was advertised as having a collection of nativity sets, but it turned out to have much more and we stayed quite a while.
This is an example of the detailed scenes of Biblical stories that were displayed. The figures are very detailed but tiny. This one is the Adoration of the Magi and dates from circa 1825. There were others that were earlier, and later versions usually had bigger characters. Some were paper, and there were some 3D diaramas.
The Chapel in the Bishop’s Palace—extravagant! Note how few pews are below.
Another view of the ceiling in the chapel.
The altar of that same chapel.
The Millenium Column marked the 100th year anniversary of the Tyrolean freedom insurgencies. The lamb atop the column is the heraldic animal for the city as well as the diocese. A bishop is shown blessing the town, while one relief on the side shows Peter Mayr kissing his wife goodbye on the eve of his execution. A divine heart carried by two angels symbolizes divine protection of the town and county surrounding it.
This strange three-headed man statue looks down in the old town. It has survived since the late 16th century and legend has it that he would spit gold coins when church bells rang on Good Friday—the irony being that bells are silenced on that day.
This is a gate from the old town walls. It would be unimpressive if not for the upside down lady under the arch. I have no explanation.
The Elephant Hotel is a house first mentioned in an official document from the 14th century. Archduke Maximilian from Austria, later Emperor Maximilian II, visited the hotel with his elephant “Soliman” in 1551. Soliman the elephant was a present of the Portuguese king to his nephew archduke Maximilian. No one in 16th century Europe had ever seen such an animal. The elephant’s journey took 5 months from Spain to Vienna. You can still see other towns where the elephant stopped along the way with the same name: Elephant Hotel.

8 Responses

  1. I can see why you decided to stay a bit longer. The more you explore the more you are likely to find. The Bishop’s Palace was especially spectacular. You and Richard really have an eye out for the unusual which often turn’s up in your pictures. Europe is such a treasure trove of photography opportunities! Keep enjoying this unique adventure you are on!
    Dan and Wendy

    1. We didn’t really stay longer, but just had to do something with the two days we lost when we couldn’t hike across the pass (Timmelsjoch) due to early snow. We’re back on schedule after this day. I loved the scenes in the Diocesan Museum and would have shown more but figured it might be too much. There was so much detail in the stories. You never know what you might see in the next turn!

  2. Yes, the sky behind the statue of the bishop certainly gives the whole scene a bit of an ominous note. Yet the sky opens behind the lamb. Did you plan that or is this a serendipitous moment when you capture the feel of blessing in the midst of turmoil moment?

    1. I plead innocent of seeing any of what you see. However, it is definitely ominous that the Bishop is clouded. With all these churches and the Bishop in such close proximity, there had to be some competition. The Bishops actually moved out of Bressanone to Bolzano in 1964. The lamb is tranquil and gives the impression that things don’t change. The real turmoil is regarding Peter Mayr who fought for Tyrolea in the Napolionic Wars and was executed for his role. He is memorialized on this Millenium Column as well as many other locations in Tyrol.

  3. Jan, amazing how much (religious) history you have taken in on this trip. Where do you get it all in such small periods of time? Are you reading in every spare minute? Will look forward to you both leading a class on the “history of religion” when you return. You and Richard have absorbed so much! Love the church pictures!

  4. It seems like each place we visit makes us curious about something new. Richard often Googles it immediately and can give me some understanding. Sometimes we do look into it deeper when we.re blogging. There is just so much history!

  5. Oh I loved the elephant story and the photo. All your photos and descriptions capture the essence of the spiritual and the human elements of this time period in history. What an ornate chapel for one Bishop!! Glad you both are seeing lots of interesting things.

    1. I thought the interest in elephants here was quite a story. Combined with the “horse with a trunk” from the cloister, there seems to be curiosity in this time frame. Sadly, Soliman didn’t survive long, probably from poor diet and misunderstanding what he needed for care.