turm im reschensee bei graun
turm im reschensee bei graun

Church Tower in Lake Resia

The steeple that soars out of the waters of Lake Resia close to the Resia Pass, is the symbol of the Val Venosta valley

When the reservoir near the Passo di Resia, where the Adige river has its origins, was constructed for the production of electricity, the village of Curon and parts of Resia, as well as the ancient hamlets of Arlung, Piz, Gorf and Stockerhöfe were waterlogged in the summer of 1950. A total of 677 hectares of land were flooded - the inhabitants and the owners of the farmsteads were expropriated forcibly and forced to resettle somewhere else.

Only the church of Old Curon from the 14th century was spared in parts. Its steeple, a Historical Monument, can be still seen today. Depending on the water level, the Church Tower in Lake Resia - "Kirchturm im Reschensee" in German, "Campanile nel Lago di Resia" in Italian - is more or less visible. Numerous legends and tellings swirl around the flooding and the steeple. In colloquial speech sometimes you can still hear the bells ring from the depth! The German edition of the GEO travel magazine lists it among the "15 places that seem to be straight out of fairy tales".

In summer, the lake is a popular excursion destination and ideal for relaxation and recreation. Numerous water sports enthusiasts meet here, and also the submerged steeple attracts many visitors. And how to reach the Church Tower in Lake Resia? The lake is located along the Val Venosta Road, directly at the roadside there's a parking space with a viewing platform. The 4-hour hike around the Lago di Resia lake follows a 15 km long promenade. The Upper Val Venosta Valley Museum in Curon, however, tells about the reservoir and the sunken church tower.

Contact info

Opening times

Always open

Admission

freely accessible (visible from the lakeshore)

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