Tourist office Nals
Rathausplatz 1/A
39010 Nals (BZ)
South Tyrol / Italy
Tel. +39 0471 678619
Fax +39 0471 678141
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Location & Landscape
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In the midst of the most fruitful region of South Tyrol – the Etsch Valley -, right between Meran and Bozen, you will find the village of Nals: 331 metres above sea level. The village area of Nals reaches from an altitude of 245 metres up to 1,750 metres. This is the most southern frontier of the Burgrave’s Office, whose centre is the well-known spa town of Meran. This term was given to the region between Naturns and Nals, which lays between two mountain valleys: the Passeier and the Ulten. Formerly, this was the jurisdiction of the Burgrave of Castle Tyrol, who was the representative of the sovereign and reigned over the Burgrave’s Office (14th to 15th Centuries). The Etsch Valley is quite wide at this point and opens towards the south, so that the warm air can move unhindered into this region. Towards the north, however, it is protected from the cold northerly winds, from West to East by the 3,000 metre high Texel Group. Favoured through its location and mild climate, the orchards in the flat valley basin produce lots of fruit, which is famous far beyond its boundaries. Due to the mild climate, you can also find cypress trees, cedars and palm trees in Nals.
Along the left-hand side of the Etsch Valley and the Tschöggel mountain, the Sirmian, Grissian and Prissian rivers have deposited a heap of porphyry and limestone on which more than 2,000 years ago, the Ratians (the so-called original inhabitants of Tyrol) built their first wooden huts. The soil is extremely suitable for the cultivation of grapes. The famous Nals wines are as much valued as the juicy fruit, which is harvested here.
The three rivers come to the surface at the slopes of the Mendel mountains, which reaches high up into the sky along the Western side of the village. The slopes are steep, sometimes even vertical, and mostly rocky. In parts, they are covered by coniferous forests and mountain meadows and belong to the farmers of Sirmian, a hamlet belonging to the village of Nals. This is the only hamlet belonging to Nals, which previously belonged to the village of Tisens (until 1964). It consists of a handful of mountain farmhouses. Those in the Untersirmian concentrate on the cultivation of orchards, while those in Obersirmian are dedicated to raising cattle, the wood industry, as well as the cultivation of berries.
At the southern edge of the Mendel mountain range, which can be seen from here, the Gantkofel reaches like a huge rocky nose into the sky. It is 1,866 metres high. The second-highest mountains in the West of the village are the Gaiderberg (1,806 metres), the Hofbichl mountain (1,818 metres) and the Moschenberg with 1,760 metres above sea level. The Gaider Gap separates it from the Gantkofel. This is seen as a vertical intersection into the rocky limestone wall. The Schöneck (1,779 metres) and the Wechsel mountain (1,658 metres) finish this mountain range towards the North-West. Far in the background you can see the Prissian Gap and the volcanic cone of the small Laugen Peak (2,297 metres). These are already part of the Ulten mountains.
The spring of the Sirmian river lays just below the Gaider Gap, from where it runs through a canyon-like valley (Höllental = lit. hell valley), passing Castle Payersberg, Castle Schwanburg and the southern edge of the village. From there, it works its way through the Kaltenbrunner Moos and flows into the so-called country ditch, and from there right into the river Etsch (near Sigmundskron). The Grissian river has its origin above the chapel of St. Jakob in Grissian (922 metres above sea level) in the Jacob’s Valley, a hamlet of the village of Tisens. This river has also dug itself a deep canyon into the limestone rocks. Just above Schernag, a hamlet belonging to Tisen north of Nals, the river merges with the Prissian river, forming the Nals river. In the past, it created some difficulties with high water damage and was only regulated over the past few years. The river winds through the Prissian Moos towards the East and flows into the Griessen river, which merges with the Etsch river near Lana. The Grissian river forms the northerly border of the village of Nals. If you enter its canyon from the direction of the village, you will find the so-called Knappenlöcher (lit: servant holes), which were left from a former mine.
As the name says, the Prissian river comes from Prissian, a part of the Tisens village, and flows from here to Nals. Its valley (the Plortsch Valley) is cut into the porphyry stone, which builds the basis of the limestone layer, covering it. It is situated between the Kasatsch mountain and the mountain slopes of the Mendel mountain range. Since 1968, a new wide road leads from Nals to Prissian. The spring of the Prissian river is situated much higher. It is found directly below the Gampen Pass (1,518 metres). This pass leads to the Nonstal Valley and to the German-speaking villages of the Italian-speaking side valley of the river Etsch. The Kasatsch mountain, a forested hill north of Nals, is part of the foothills of the Tisen Vorberg (681 metres above sea level). On it, you will find the Ober- and Underkasatsch farmhouses, as well as the Kasatsch ruins, which are also called the Pfeffersburg. These are the remains of a fortress called Wallburg, which - as the legend goes – are an early settlement of this region, similar to the Burgstalleck. The Burgstalleck is a hill-like elevation in the south of the village. According to Beda Weber, the name Kasatsch is of Roman origin (casaccia), which means farmstead. In the plain just below the Pfeffersburg, is the hamlet of Schernag, which belongs to the village of Tisens.
Nals itself is a village with time-honoured residences, farmhouses, comfortable pubs and private houses. The population makes every effort to keep the village beautiful and tidy. You will find blooming gardens and parks with meadows, as well as vineyards. In the gardens beside the houses, you can find a variety of roses, which flower from April to the end of October. For this reason, Nals is also called the rose village. In 2006, the new town hall and the new square in front of it were consecrated. The square is the centre of the village and, therefore, the meeting point for locals and tourists alike.
The village has a number of interesting buildings. The Saint Ulrich parish church, Castle Schwanburg, Castle Payersberg and the Schönhaus residence (also called the Stachelburg) to name but a few. It is also worthwhile to visit both wine cellars.
The village is divided into the “Hiegerdorf“ or church village with the parish church and the beautiful school, and the “Enderdorf“ or mill village with the Schönhaus residence. Moving a little towards the valley and the river Etsch, you come to the hamlet of “St. Vilgen“ with some old residences and many new buildings.
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