| Brixen | |
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| — Comune — | |
| Gemeinde Brixen Comune di Bressanone |
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Brixen
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol |
| Province | South Tyrol (BZ) |
| Frazioni | see list |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Albert Pürgstaller (SVP) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 84.86 km2 (32.8 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 560 m (1,837 ft) |
| Population (Nov. 2010) | |
| • Total | 20,286 |
| • Density | 239.1/km2 (619.1/sq mi) |
| Demonym | German: Brixner Italian: brissinesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 39042 |
| Dialing code | 0472 |
| Patron saint | Saint Albuin Saint Ingenuin |
| Saint day | February 2 |
| Website | Official website |
Brixen (Italian: Bressanone; Ladin: Porsenù or Persenon) is a town in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
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The third largest city and oldest town in the province (first mentioned in 901), the artistic and cultural capital of the valley. It is located at the confluence of the Eisack/Isarco and Rienz/Rienza rivers, 40 km north of Bolzano and 45 km south of the Brenner Pass, on the Italy-Austrian border. It is flanked on the eastern side by the Plose and Telegraph (Monte Telegrafo) mountains (2,504 m) and on the western side by the Königsanger (Monte Pascolo) (2,436 m) mountain.
Brixen is especially known as a major skiing resort (the Plose). Other activities include hydroelectric power, orchards and vineyards.
Frazioni / incorporated villages: Afers (Eores), Albeins (Albes), Elvas, Gereuth, Karnol, Klerant (Cleran), Kranebitt (Costa d'Elvas), Mahr (La Mara), Mairdorf, Mellaun (Meluno), Pairdorf (Perara), Pinzagen (Pinzago), Plabach, Rutzenberg, St. Andrä (S.Andrea), St. Leonhard (S.Leonardo), Sarns (Sarnes), Tils (Tiles), Tötschling (Tecelinga), Tschötsch (Scezze), Untereben.
The area of Brixen was settled since the Upper Paleolithic (8th millennium BC). Other settlements from the late Stone Age have been found, until, in 15 BC, the area was conquered by the Romans, who had their main settlement in the nearby Säben (Sabiona). They held it until around 590s, when it was occupied by Bavarians.
The first mention of Brixen dates to 901 in a document issued by the King of Germany Louis III the Child: in it, a territory called Prihsna is assigned to Zacharias, bishop of Säben. As time passed, "Prihsna" turned into the current name of Brixen. The bishops moved here from Säben in 992, after the Cathedral had been finished.
In 1039 the Bishop of Brixen, Poppo, was elevated to Pope by emperor Henry III. However, his reign lasted only for 23 days. Yet in the same century, Brixen became the seat of an independent ecclesiastical principate which, in the following years, struggled for existence against the neighbouring county of Tyrol. In 1115 a first line of walls encircling Brixen was completed.
The bishopric was secularized in 1803 and annexed by the Austrian Empire. After the end of World War I Brixen was annexed by Italy.
The oldest coat of arms dates back to 1297 with the lamb, known then from 1304 as a symbol of the lamb. On 13 November 1928 was adopted a shield with the city walls and a gate on the lawn, on the upper half, and the lamb in the lower. The emblem is a turned argent lamb with a or halo on a gules background; the left foot supports a flag with a gules cross. The emblem was granted in 1966. [1]
Outside the city is the Rodeneck Castle, one of the most powerful of its time. It has precious frescoes from the early 13th century. Also important are Reifenstein Castle and the Trostburg Castle in Waidbruck. In the later lived the adventurer and minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein.
The majority of the population speaks German as first language (73.13%). The remainder of the inhabitants speak Italian and Ladin as first languages, with percentages of 25.65% and 1.23%, respectively.[2]
Brixen has a railway station on the Brenner railway, which connects Verona, Italy to Innsbruck in Austrian Tyrol. In the future, this role of this railway line will be partially taken over by the Brenner Base Tunnel, which bypasses Brixen.
The town has two exits on the Brenner Highway to the Brenner Pass.