Pfandler and Pfistrad Alps

Two alpine pastures in the Merano region have a lot to tell: These are the Pfandler Alm and the Pfistrad Alm, which were built on the slopes above San Martino and San Leonardo in the Val Passiria valley. The Pfandler Alp is connected to the MuseumPasseier, which also tells of the Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer. Andreas Hofer was hiding in the small wooden hut on the Pfandler Alp above San Martino before he was betrayed by the Tyrolean Franz Raffl for 1,500 guilders, captured by French occupying soldiers on January 28, 1810, and executed in Mantua shortly afterwards. After a fire, the hut was rebuilt true to the original as a memorial and is now located at the Pfandler mountain inn, a popular stop for refreshments.

Boards tell of the events of that time. A few km away, above San Leonardo in Passiria, on the other hand, the Pfistrad Alp is located at 1,350 m a.s.l. It is an ensemble of small buildings, also including the St. Anna Church in Pfistrad. The Gothic blockhouse that stands there is one of the oldest wooden buildings in South Tyrol and has been protected as a monument since 1982.

The Pfistrad Alp houses a small museum with old tools and display boards that tell about the interesting history of the pasture and the entire Val Passiria. And how to reach the alps? Both can only be reached on foot. The Pfandler Alm is located above San Martino in Passiria (accessible in an almost 4-hour hike there and back), the Pfistrad Alm above San Leonardo in Passiria (ascent of 1.5 hours). Both are open in summer and are popular hiking destinations.