Minnehus Laion

Above Laion lies the little village of Novale di Laion (Lajen Ried), where supposedly one of the most important minnesingers of the German-speaking world was born: Walther von der Vogelweide. It was in the 12th and 13th century that he performed his poetic songs as a touring minstrel, and a new exhibition in Laion brings these times back to life. Not far away, in Ponte Gardena (Waidbruck) in the direction of the Valle Isarco valley, Trostburg Castle is enthroned, where another minnesinger, Oswald von Wolkenstein, is said to have spent his childhood two centuries later.

The Minnehus Laion - Minnehus Lajen, in German - is a visitor centre and multi-sensory experience that retells the life of Walther von der Vogelweide in an interactive exhibition. The various touch screens and the HEARONYMUS audio guide, which takes young and old into the Middle Ages, help to make this possible. The adventure takes up three to four floors on a total of 185 square metres of exhibition space. The implementation of the exhibition, which was ceremonially opened in April 2023, is part of the Leader EU Project that is intended to upgrade the rural area.

If you would like to learn more about the medieval poet, the "Walther von der Vogelweide" theme trail starts right next to the Minnehus. The three-hour hike leads to the Vogelweider Farm, his supposed birthplace, and back to Laion village, with various refreshment stops along the way. In Bolzano, the central Piazza Walther square owes its name to him. And how can the Minnehus be reached? It is located at the village square in Laion, some parking spaces can be found directly at the square. A bus line also runs to Laion, the train stops in Ponte Gardena, 6 km away.