Vadena Nuova

The small village centre of Vadena Nuova clings to the steep woods of the Monte di Mezzo, which reaches towards Caldaro and Appiano

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Vadena Nuova is situated at 230 to 240 metres a.s.l. south of Bolzano, a quiet village below the Monte di Mezzo and the cliffs of Vadena.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Fatena, Uatina, Pfetten and Phætena - Vadena (Pfatten) has had many names over the centuries, the first of which was probably of Rhaetian origin.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The centre of the main village consists of a few houses and the nested building of the 13th century Schloss-Hof (literally: Castle Courtyard).
Foto: AT, © Peer
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In the centre of Vadena Nuova, a little hidden in the inner courtyard of the Schloss-Hof, a few steps lead up to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The Bassa Atesina Cycle Path leads along the banks of the Adige from Bolzano to the south, here with the Vadena Bridge in the background.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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It connects Vadena with the opposite side of the river and therefore with Laives and Bronzolo, which are both only 3 and 4 km away.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The two-lane Vadena Bridge with its white arch is an architectural masterpiece from 1999, replacing the old single-lane bridge from 1928.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The cycle path leads partly through shady forests on your journey to Salorno: It takes 2.5 hours from Bolzano to the south of South Tyrol.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The orchards and vineyards change the landscape of Vadena through the seasons, here the apple blossom in April.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Vadena is widely known as a wine village - the vines turn golden in autumn and the grapes are then harvested and processed.
Foto: EMS, © Peer
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In autumn the temperatures are a bit cooler, ideal for the hike along the Vadena Trail to the Big Monticolo Lake on the other side of the mountain.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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In the middle of it all, in a chestnut grove, the South Tyrolean artist Sieglinde Tatz-Borgogno has created a memorial to her mentors.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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And here is the destination: the Big Monticolo Lake in the Monticolo Forest, a nature reserve - the way back to Vadena takes 3 hours.
Foto: AT, © Peer

In the middle of the village of Vadena Nuova (Pfatten Dorf), which was already mentioned in the medieval Vigilius letter in the 11th century as "Uatina", the Schloss-Hof is enthroned. It quasi forms the centre of the village: The multi-storey building is known as Vadena Castle and dates back to the 13th century. Today, the town hall can be found here, and next to it there is a kindergarten and a primary school. Two streets then branch off from the small centre: One leads south below the porphyry cliffs, past the other small districts of the municipality.

The other crosses the Adige River at the Vadena Bridge with its white arch. It connects one river bank with the other and therefore Vadena with Laives and Bronzolo - a symbol of the dialogue and cooperation with the neighbouring municipalities. For this very reason, the "Lights on the Bridge" event was organised several times on this building, a dinner with local products, music, light, audio and video installations. Nearby, the works have started to enable the revitalisation of the Adige.

The history of this area goes back to prehistoric times, and you can still reach several witnesses of this on foot today. On the two hills where the Castelchiaro ruin and Castel Varco are enthroned, there were already settlements in the Bronze Age. At the Horse Teeth rock formations, remains of a hillfort from the late Iron Age can still be seen. In addition, the Vadena Trail starts in Vadena Nuova and leads you over the wooded Monte di Mezzo mountain to the Big Monticolo Lake.

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