Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle
The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle are located on the eastern outskirts of Merano in South Tyrol (Italy). The botanical garden of the spa town of Merano, named after its landmark Trauttmansdorff Castle , covers an area of around twelve hectares. Natural and cultural landscapes from all over the world, botanical rarities, themed gardens as well as local vegetation images of the province of South Tyrol form the focus of the garden design. Compared to many classic botanical gardens that are on the plain, the gardens around the castle extend over a height difference of around 100 meters, similar to the La Mortella park on the island of Ischia . With around 400,000 visitors per gardening season, the botanical garden, which opened in 2001, is one of the most popular leisure facilities in South Tyrol. The South Tyrolean State Museum for Tourism, the Touriseum , is housed in the castle itself .
history
The origins of Trauttmansdorff Castle go back to the Middle Ages. The building was first mentioned in a document around 1300 as Neuberg Castle. Around the middle of the 19th century, Count Joseph von Trauttmansdorff had the half-ruined building expanded with neo-Gothic elements. In 1892 the castle was sold to the Gyulay family, after their bankruptcy in 1896, Baron Friedrich von Deuster, a wine merchant from Kitzingen , came into possession of the castle and garden. After the First World War , Deuster was expropriated by the fascists and the property went to an aid fund for Italian soldiers. After the fund was dissolved in 1977, the South Tyrolean provincial administration became the owner and transferred the management of its properties to the estate administration of the Laimburg agricultural and forestry research center.
A comprehensive renovation took place in 1989: the South Tyrolean State Museum for Tourism, the Touriseum, was established in the castle, and the botanical garden was laid out around the castle, which was suggested by the special climatic conditions of Merano and the microclimatic diversity of the area. In 1989 it was decided to build the garden, six years later work began. After seven years in which around 24 million euros had been invested, the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle opened on June 16, 2001. Since the opening, more than six million people - as of October 2017 - have visited the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle.
Four zones were created on the twelve hectare area, which flow into one another: forest gardens , sun gardens , water and terrace gardens and the landscapes of South Tyrol . The spa town of Merano with its mild autumn and winter has been cultivating the tradition of experimenting with exotic trees for more than 150 years. Thus shaped palm family , magnolia , ginkgo u. a. the cityscape even before the gardens are laid out. The hillside location, a natural amphitheater , also opened up further design dimensions: The "blooming clay walls", very steep perennial beds laid out after a landslide, are exemplary. In order to offer a botanical garden as a recreational area for the first generation of visitors, the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle were largely equipped with "adult" plants.
Garden worlds
The forest gardens
The forest gardens north of the castle predominantly show natural landscapes from areas of our earth that have climatic conditions similar to Merano. They grow here in the form of small-scale forests where typical trees and shrubs of the respective regions of origin are summarized: So there are, for example, Evergreen deciduous forests - called laurel forests - from East Asia and Florida, deciduous forests of eastern North America, South America as well as from China, coniferous forests with Mountain and coastal redwoods from western North America and a bald cypress forest from the Mississippi area. In addition to these natural landscapes, the forest gardens present cultural landscapes such as Asian rice and tea fields , an American kitchen garden , a Japanese garden and a primeval valley with "living fossils" such as ferns , ginkgo and many others, but also themed gardens with rhododendrons , peonies and ornamental cherries .
The sun gardens
The focus of the sun gardens is on the natural and cultural landscapes of the Mediterranean countries. On the sunny southern slope below Trauttmansdorff Castle, cork and holm oaks grow as examples of the original vegetation of the Mediterranean region. Today, evergreen hard- leaved plants and dwarf shrubs dominate the forms of degradation in these natural landscapes: strawberry trees , evergreen pistachios , evergreen snowballs , cistus and aromatic dwarf shrubs such as oregano , rosemary , sage or savory thrive in the scrubland landscapes of the maquis and garigue . Of the diverse cultivated plants of the Mediterranean region, the gardens show a limonaia (a grove with citrus plants), the northernmost olive grove in Italy, grapevines, pomegranate , mulberry and fig trees , a succulent collection with cacti , aloes and agaves , and finally a collection of sage with more than 150 species and varieties.
The water and terrace gardens
The water and terrace gardens present examples of European garden architecture . Strictly geometrically arranged beds, spherical or rectangular cut box trees and a maze are features of an Italian garden of the Renaissance . The English perennial garden is also based on geometric shapes. Flowering shrubs and perennials in the changing seasons loosen up the rigid forms in the cottage garden. In the "Sensory Garden", aromatic dwarf shrubs thrive in raised beds, which allow visitors to feel the plants and smell them. At the foot of the geometric gardens is a pond with water lilies and lotus flowers , which is bordered by a palm forest on the opposite bank. Scented roses , passion flowers , clematis and herbaceous peonies are grouped together in themed gardens .
The landscapes of South Tyrol
A naturally grown downy oak forest covers the quartz porphyry slope of the garden section “Landscapes of South Tyrol” and forms a flowing transition to the designed garden; Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary had walking paths laid out in it during her stay in Meran, which have largely been preserved to this day. Below the forest, an alluvial forest shows the original vegetation of the Adige Valley . As a traditional cultural landscape, the botanical garden presents a orchard with old varieties that are hardly cultivated today, grape vines with autochthonous varieties grown on " pergola " ( pergola ) and a typical South Tyrolean farmer's garden with vegetables, herbs and ornamental plants , surrounded by a plaited fence .
Botanical attractions
In addition to the more than 80 garden landscapes from all over the world, which are spread over the four garden worlds, the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle pay great attention to the preservation and care of old species and varieties. Examples of botanical rarities are:
- Wollemie (Wollemia nobilis): In 1994 an Australian gamekeeper discovered this conifer, believed to be extinct, which has hardly changed genetically since prehistoric times. It has been in the forest gardens since 2006 . The Gardens of Trauttmannsdorff Castle were the first botanical garden in Italy to exhibit a specimen of this primeval conifer and living fossil.
- 700 year old olive tree: The olive tree is one of the longest-lived crops in the world. A 700 year old specimen weighing almost six tons with a trunk diameter of almost one meter was planted in the sun gardens below the castle.
- Versoaln - the largest and one of the oldest vines in the world: The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle have sponsored this 350-year-old autochthonous vine. The canopy of leaves on the vine that grows near Katzenzungen Castle in Prissian / Tesimo , 14 km away , has an area of around 350 m².
- Witnesses of old wine-growing history: Georgia, the oldest wine-growing country in the world, handed over to South Tyrol, the oldest wine-growing region in the German-speaking world, a gold replica of a 7,000 year old grape seed. The gardens exhibit it together with 2,400 year old grape seeds that were found a few years ago near the Laimburg in the South Tyrolean Unterland.
- Honey palm : two specimens of the rare Jubaea chilensis have been standing by the water lily pond since 2017. The Jubaea palm has a massive gray trunk that can reach a diameter of 1.8 m and a height of up to 25 m. The larger palm in Trauttmansdorff is 8 meters high.
- Flower highlights: Among the plants that give the gardens a constantly changing appearance throughout the season, there is also a variety specially created in Holland, the Trauttmansdorff tulip , the Trauttmansdorff rose and the Trauttmansdorff fuchsia.
Empress Elisabeth
Meran and in particular Trauttmansdorff Castle were among the preferred destinations of the travel-loving Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary . Twice - in 1870 and 1889 - the Empress, also called Sisi (or incorrectly called "Sissi"), stayed there on winter cure. In the same year Merano experienced its first, comparatively large rush of winter guests: Merano began to rise to a health resort of European standing. Empress Elisabeth had a path built through the naturally grown downy oak forest. When the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle were built, this path was revitalized as the “Sissi Promenade”; some of the plants planted at the time to beautify the paths, a bronze Sisi bust and the Sisi rooms in the Touriseum are reminiscent of their stay. A “Sissi-Weg” also leads from the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle to the center of the city of Merano. The gardens are part of the so-called Sisi Street , a European cultural route to castles and cities that played a special role in the life of the empress. Baron von Deuster , the former owner of Trauttmansdorff Castle, had a marble bench built in her honor, which today stands on a marble staircase in front of the castle.
Art and adventure in the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle
The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle present themselves as a young, innovative botanical garden. In contrast to many mature botanical gardens that may a. Distinguished by centuries-old trees, the young gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle follow the concept of a botanical garden as a recreational and adventure space and as a didactic communication of interesting facts from the world of plants.
The ten artist pavilions
The botanical garden as a place of contemplation also offers an ambience for works of art. In the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, this is manifested in the artist pavilions, which not only fulfill their original purpose as a place of retreat and haven of peace, but also interpret processes in nature in an aesthetically playful and instructive way.
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Pavilion 1 : Ornamental plants from all over the world
- Masts, sails and boxes represent the historical ship journeys from which so-called plant hunters brought exotic trees back to Europe.
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Pavilion 2: Deciduous deciduous forests
- A roof made of metal leaves that move in the wind is reminiscent of the play of light and shadow in autumnal deciduous forests.
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Pavilion 3: fragrance organ
- In metal pipes, which are reminiscent of organ pipes, different smells are hidden that you have to guess.
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Pavilion 4: Plants from countries with a Mediterranean climate
- A white building shows how people and plants protect themselves from extreme heat according to similar principles.
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Pavilion 5: Downy oak forest
- A lattice framework made of structural steel forces the trunks of the crooked downy oak into a strict shape.
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Pavilion 6: Succulent Plants
- A walk-in ball cactus made of steel demonstrates the hot habitat of the succulents.
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Pavilion 7: Plants in the water
- Aquatic plants rooted in the lake bed resemble upside-down boats with masts.
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Pavilion 8: cultural landscape replaces natural landscape
- Espalier fruit and vines grown on “pergels” symbolize the local cultural landscape.
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Pavilion 9: Plants in Spring
- Colored, flexible poles to which bells are attached "ring in" spring.
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Pavilion 10: Plants in autumn
- A rusty steel dome that can be walked on, on which plexiglass plates shimmer in the colors of autumn, is reminiscent of a pile of leaves.
Temporary exhibitions
The interweaving of botany and art is also evident in the special exhibitions that take place every two years in the castle's remise and in the garden in collaboration with artists. The aim of the exhibitions is an aesthetically sophisticated approach to botanical topics and at the same time conveying information.
- 2006 The Ginkgo Myth : Botanical and cultural peculiarities of a “living fossil” that now adorns some of the avenues in Merano.
- 2008 Everything palm! : Palms are among the most diverse plants in the world, they provide a livelihood for millions of people. In Merano, the hemp palm ( Trachycarpus fortunei ) is a popular photo opportunity in front of snow-covered mountain peaks.
- 2010 Heavenly smells and the stench of hell! : Why do plants give off scents and smells and what role do essential oils, resins and balms play from ancient times to today?
- 2012 Wurzel, Tuber & Co. - the hidden wonder world : Amazing tricks and strategies of the plants, which secure their survival deeply rooted, and the utilization of roots and tubers by humans.
- 2014 flower sex? A botanical explanation: The exhibition shows how flowers seduce, deceive and work in a team with the fauna to preserve their species.
Experience stations
Another element of attractiveness are so-called experience stations, which are distributed over the entire garden.
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1 The grotto with a multimedia show
- A twelve-minute multimedia show tells of the creation of the earth and the first plant life.
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2 The aviary
- At the highest point of the forest and sun gardens, a panoramic walkway made of metal grids leads through a parrot aviary.
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3 The humming rock
- Conical openings in the porphyry rock demonstrate that the rock returns acoustic stimuli with a delay.
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4 The Matteo Thun'sche Gucker
- In 2005, the architect Matteo Thun built a binocular viewing platform in the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, from which the majority of the gardens can be seen.
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5 The Innsbruck Alpine Zoo shop window
- In cooperation with the Innsbruck Alpine Zoo , the gardens are exhibiting a terrarium with Aesculapian snakes .
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6 The apiary
- A large walk-in beehive contains a beehive ; You can watch the bees at work through panes of glass.
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7 The dragonfly clock
- A circular clock shows the flight periods of various native dragonfly species .
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8 The adventure bridge
- Suspension bridges lead through the original alluvial forests of South Tyrol.
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9 The geological mosaic
- Samples of the different types of rock in North and South Tyrol and Trentino are positioned on a walk-through map .
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10 animals in the garden
- As an additional attraction, especially for families, the gardens include rabbits, parrots, torrent sheep , snakes, Chinese ducks, Japanese carp and alpacas. Reptiles and insects can still be found in the glass house.
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11 The botanical underworld
- A 200 m long adventure course leads into the mountainside and through multisensorial stations that describe the subterranean plant life.
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12 The glass house
- The glass house houses a greenhouse with tropical crops and a terrarium with small animals from all over the world.
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13 The garden for lovers
- This area was opened in 2016. Three pavilions in the middle of a pool play with the theme of love.
Events
Due to its size and the variety of its offers, the botanical garden offers the possibility of hosting various events: In addition to the temporary exhibitions, the following event cycles have been established over the years, which attract many visitors.
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Garden nights
- Every summer the stage on the water lily pond becomes the location of what is now the largest world music festival in northern Italy.
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Trauttmansdorff after work
- Also at the water lily pond, the gardens organize a long aperitif with New South Tyrolean music and special evening tours on Fridays from mid-June to August.
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Sissi breakfast
- On several Sundays in June there is the opportunity to enjoy an imperial breakfast on the Sisi terrace, accompanied by classical music.
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Adventure tours
- Experience of the senses (guided tour with workshop) : garden guides address all the senses in an intensive and playful way at various stations.
- Fascinating fruits! : An exciting tour through the world of plants and fruits.
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Single events
- Day of Choirs : In cooperation with the South Tyrolean Choir Association, choirs from all over the Alps sing in the garden area.
- Open day for people with disabilities : For one day, people with disabilities with a valid ID or official confirmation can go into the gardens free of charge together with an accompanying person.
- Garden autumn / garden spring - A day for the whole family : One day of action in spring and one in autumn.
- Sissi day: A Sissi actress in historical costume walks through the gardens and tells about the stay of the empress in Merano and Trauttmansdorff Castle.
administration
The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle were managed by the estate administration of the Laimburg experimental center under the supervision of the South Tyrolean provincial administration until December 31, 2016. Since the beginning of 2017, the gardens have been part of the new Landesdomäne agency created as part of a reorganization. In the gardening season, the gardens employ around 100 people (as of 2017).
Partnerships, awards and publications
The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle are in constant exchange of knowledge and experience with gardens and associations from Italy Grandi Giardini Italiani and from all over the world. The gardens were named “Most beautiful garden in Italy 2005” for the successful connection between nature, culture and art as well as for their innovative spirit and one year later “Europe's garden No. 6 2006”. On March 19, 2013, the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle were voted International Garden of the Year 2013 at the International Garden Tourism Conference in Toronto, Canada.
Literature (selection)
- Fred-Günter Schroeder : The gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. Bolzano 2001.
- Udo Bernhart, Ulrike Dubis: Trauttmansdorff: The Gardens - I Giardini - The Gardens. Bolzano 2006. ISBN 978-3-8354-0263-8 .
- In 2008 a leporello and a compact version of the illustrated book ( Eine Reise ins Paradies ) were published.
- On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the gardens, a garden guide ( Italy's most beautiful garden in Meran / South Tyrol ) was published in 2011 , which came in 3rd place in the “Garden Guide” category as part of the German Garden Book Prize.
- Otto Huber: Botany in South Tyrol and neighboring areas in the 20th century , 2012.
- In 2016 for the 15th anniversary, a revised documentation on Trauttmansdorff will be published. A 30-minute documentary film ( The Gardens - A Journey to Paradise ) about the origins of the gardens is being produced.
- Karin Ortler: The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle: A tour through Italy's most beautiful garden in Meran / South Tyrol Meran 2017. ISBN 978-8870738834
Web links
- The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle - official website of the Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.provinz.bz.it/news/de/news.asp?news_action=4&news_article_id=597796
- ↑ ... and the garden Oscar goes to: the gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. In: provinz.bz.it. Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol, March 20, 2013, accessed on May 12, 2016 .
Coordinates: 46 ° 39 ′ 37 ″ N , 11 ° 11 ′ 8 ″ E