RS dji Tartscher Buehel
RS dji Tartscher Buehel

Tarces Hill and Ganglegg

The Tarces Hill near Malles and Ganglegg near Sluderno are two important archaeological excavation sites in the Val Venosta valley

Next to Tarces (Tartsch), a district of Malles in the Val Venosta valley, a small hill rises. It was formed beautifully round by glacial action and offers today a magnificent panoramic view over the Malles Heath and on Glorenza: the Tarces Hill ("Tartscher Bichl" in local dialect), a biotope and excursion destination with its old little church of St. Vitus. But it also has a lot to tell: The Tarces Hill, a pre-Christian cult site, was already settled in prehistoric times and in antiquity. It is said that around 80 huts and houses used to stand here on 1.3 hectares.

Excavations were carried out since the 19th century, which brought to light Roman coins, bowl stones, a Celtic sword, a staghorn with a Rhaetian inscription (approx. 500 BC) and remains of a house (approx. 300 BC). The little St. Vitus Church, on the other hand, with its irregular enclosing wall, was built in the 11th century. Today it is one of the few Romanesque buildings in the country that has been preserved in its original state without any changes. The wooden ceiling inside dates back to the 16th century, and some frescoes are still visible. The burn marks, on the other hand, remind of the year 1499 and the time of the Engadine War.

Today, a nature trail circles the Tarces Hill with its steppe-like vegetation: In summer, guided tours are also offered for those interested in culture. Only 2.5 km away, above Sluderno, the best researched and fortified hilltop settlement of the Bronze and Iron Ages in the Alpine region is located: Ganglegg. Its finds can all be seen in the Venosta Valley Museum - VUSEUM in Sluderno. And how to reach the Tarces Hill and Ganglegg? Both excavation sites can only be reached on foot (10 minutes from Tarces up the hill, 30 minutes via a steep trail from Sluderno to Ganglegg). Also the 3-hour hike along the Sluderno Waalwege paths leads past the archaeological site of Ganglegg.

Contact info

Opening times

Always open

Admission

Tarces Hill and Ganglegg freely accessible

guided tour to the St. Vitus Church:
€ 3.00 per person

More information

During the summer months from the end of July to the end of September, the St. Vitus Church stays open every Thursday at 5 pm for the guided tours: They are offered in German and Italian language (approx. 1 hour, reservation not needed), meeting point at the parish church in Tarces.

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