Tyrol (; historically the Tyrole; de-AT, Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a
historical region
Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a cultural, ethnic, linguistic or political basis, regardless of latterday borders. They are used as delimitations for studying and analysing soc ...
in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
- in
Northern Italy
Northern Italy ( it, Italia settentrionale, it, Nord Italia, label=none, it, Alta Italia, label=none or just it, Nord, label=none) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. It consists of eight administrative region ...
and western
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. The area was historically the core of the
County of Tyrol
The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with the secularised ...
, part of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
,
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central- Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
and
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, from its formation in the 12th century until 1919. In 1919, following
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
and the
dissolution of Austria-Hungary, it was divided into two modern administrative parts through the
Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye:
* State of
Tyrol: Formed through the merger of
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north ...
and
East Tyrol, as part of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
* Region of
Trentino-Alto Adige: At that time still with Souramont (
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (; lld, Anpezo, ; historical de-AT, Hayden) is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomites, Dolomitic) Alps in the Province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the Boite (river), ...
,
Livinallongo del Col di Lana
Livinallongo del Col di Lana (; lld, Fodóm; german: Buchenstein) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about north of Venice and about northwest of Belluno.
Ninety percent of th ...
and
Colle Santa Lucia
Colle Santa Lucia (; Ladin language: ''Col'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto, located about north of Venice and about northwest of Belluno. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population o ...
) and the municipalities
Valvestino,
Magasa, and
Pedemonte
Pedemonte is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and it ...
, seized in 1918 by the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
, and thus since 1946 part of the
Italian Republic.
With the founding of the European region
Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino the area has its own legal entity since 2011 in the form of a
European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation.
Etymology
According to , the name ''Tyrol'' derives from a root word meaning ''terrain'' (i.e. area, ground or soil; compare la, terra and
Old Irish
Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writte ...
: ''tir''); first from the village of
Tirol, and its
castle; from which the
County of Tyrol
The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with the secularised ...
grew. Some sources suggest it derives from the Slavic language "ta rola" meaning "this land, farming terrain/farming ground." According to
Karl Finsterwalder, the name ''Tyrol'' derives from , a late-Roman fort and travellers' hostel in
Zirl, Tyrol
Zirl is a market town in the district of Innsbruck-Land in the Austrian state of Tyrol located 10 km west of Innsbruck at the bottom of a pass up the side of the Zirler Berg, leading to Seefeld and ultimately to Germany. The location was men ...
. There seems to be no scholarly consensus.
Geography
Location
Tyrol has an area of 26,673 km
2. The region consists of the State of
Tyrol, the Province of
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
and the
Province of Trento
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous regi ...
. In addition to the region belong the municipalities
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (; lld, Anpezo, ; historical de-AT, Hayden) is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomites, Dolomitic) Alps in the Province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the Boite (river), ...
,
Livinallongo del Col di Lana
Livinallongo del Col di Lana (; lld, Fodóm; german: Buchenstein) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about north of Venice and about northwest of Belluno.
Ninety percent of th ...
,
Colle Santa Lucia
Colle Santa Lucia (; Ladin language: ''Col'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto, located about north of Venice and about northwest of Belluno. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population o ...
and
Pedemonte
Pedemonte is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and it ...
from the Region of
Veneto and
Valvestino and
Magasa from the Region of
Lombardy
(man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, ...
. The largest cities in Tyrol are
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
,
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
and
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
.
The whole region of Tyrol is located in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
. Tyrol is bordered to the north by the state of
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total l ...
and to the east by the states of
Carinthia
Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Bavarian group. Carin ...
and
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...
. West of Tyrol lies the state of
Vorarlberg and the canton of
Grisons
The Grisons () or Graubünden,Names include:
*german: (Kanton) Graubünden ;
* Romansh:
** rm, label= Sursilvan, (Cantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Vallader, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Puter, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Surmiran, (Ca ...
. On the southern side of Tyrol, the land is bordered by the regions of
Veneto and
Lombardy
(man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, ...
.
Important rivers in Tyrol are the
Adige,
Inn and
Drau. The region is characterized by many valleys. Some of these valleys are still difficult to reach today. The most important valleys are the
Inn Valley
The Inn ( la, Aenus; rm, En) is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The river is long. It is a right tributary of the Danube and it is the third largest tributary of the Danube by discharge. The highest point of its drainage basi ...
and
Adige Valley. A large part of the population lives in these two valleys and also the five largest cities of Tyrol (
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
,
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
,
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
,
Merano
Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and '' comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeie ...
, and
Rovereto
Rovereto (; "wood of sessile oaks"; locally: ''Roveredo'') is a city and ''comune'' in Trentino in northern Italy, located in the Vallagarina valley of the Adige River.
History
Rovereto was an ancient fortress town standing at the frontier b ...
) lie in these valleys. For centuries, the region has been known for transit trade. The most important trade route across the Alps, namely the
Brenner Route, traverses the whole of Tyrol and is regarded as a connecting link between the Italian and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
-speaking areas.
Mountains
As the Tyrolean region is located in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, the landscape is heavily influenced by the mountains. The highest mountains in Tyrol include:
* the
Ortler - 3,905
m a.s.l.
* the
Königspitze
The Königspitze (german: Königspitze; it, Gran Zebrù) is a mountain of the Ortler Alps on the border between South Tyrol and the Province of Sondrio (Lombardy), Italy. After the Ortler, it is the second highest peak in the Ortler Alps, at a ...
- 3,851 m a.s.l.
* the
Großglockner - 3,798
m AA
* the
Monte Cevedale
Monte Cevedale is a mountain at the border of the Lombardy and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol regions in Italy. The southern summit (3769 m) is the highest mountain of Trentino province, while three provinces, Sondrio, South Tyrol
it, Provi ...
- 3,769 m a.s.l.
* the
Wildspitze
Wildspitze () is the highest mountain in the Ötztal Alps and in North Tyrol, as well as the second highest mountain in Austria after the Großglockner and in terms of prominence (2261 m) is the fourth summit of the Alps and the fifteenth of Eur ...
- 3,768 m AA
Across Tyrol, on the border between North and South Tyrol, runs the
main chain of the Alps
The main chain of the Alps, also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the drainage divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest ...
. The main chain of the Alps geographically divides the Alps into a southern and northern half.
Biggest municipalities
Municipalities of Tyrol with over 10,000 inhabitants:
Austria: 1 January 2017
Italy: 31 December 2016
Society
Language distribution
Tyrol can be subdivided into 5 different language groups. In addition to the majority languages such as German and Italian, languages such as
Ladin
Ladin may refer to:
*Ladin language, a language in northern Italy, often classified as a Rhaeto-Romance language
*Ladin people, the inhabitants of the Dolomite Alps region of northern Italy
See also
*Laden (disambiguation)
*Ladino (disambiguati ...
,
Cimbrian
Cimbrian ( cim, zimbar, links=no, ; german: Zimbrisch; it, cimbro) refers to any of several local Upper German varieties spoken in northeastern Italy. The speakers of the language are known as ''Zimbern'' in German.
Cimbrian is a Germanic ...
and
Mócheno are also spoken. The last three languages are recognized as minority languages. These language groups are mostly located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region and are thus promoted and protected by the region.
The Ladin language is also spoken outside the region in Souramont (
Province of Belluno
The Province of Belluno ( it, Provincia di Belluno; de-AT, Provinz Belluno; lld, Provinzia de Belum) is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.
It has an area of and a total population of about 205,000. ...
). Ladin is considered a
Rhaeto-Romance language
Rhaeto-Romance, Rheto-Romance, or Rhaetian, is a purported subfamily of the Romance languages that is spoken in south-eastern Switzerland and north-eastern Italy. The name "Rhaeto-Romance" refers to the former Roman province of Raetia. The qu ...
.
The
Cimbrian language is also used in various linguistic islands (
Sette Comuni) outside the region of Trentino-South Tyrol. The Cimbrian and the Mòcheno languages are considered as upper-Bavarian dialects.
The majority in
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
two romance languages are spoken:
Lombard in western valleys, and is
Venetian
Venetian often means from or related to:
* Venice, a city in Italy
* Veneto, a region of Italy
* Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area
Venetian and the like may also refer to:
* Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
eastern ones, in central Trentino a transitional dialect between the lombard language and the venetian language is spoken.
Dialects
In the Austrian state of
Tyrol, the German language is used by a large majority. As in many other regions in German-speaking countries, Tyrol also has its own German-language dialect. The Tyrolean dialect comes from the
Bavarian language.
In
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
, the Tyrolean dialect was mixed with a few individual Italian words. Due to the difficult accessibility of the valleys in earlier years, many other valleys developed a slightly differentiated dialect compared to the Tyrolean.
The Ladin language also has no uniform language, so every valley also has a slight difference in
Ladinia
Ladinia ( lld, Ladinia) is neologism used to describe an Alpine countries, Alpine region in the Dolomites mountain range of Northern Italy, divided between the Italian provinces of Belluno, South Tyrol, and Trento. The area takes its name from ...
.
Heraldry
Although the details of the arms of Tyrol have changed over the centuries, one feature has remained more-or-less constant: ''
argent'', an
eagle displayed ''
gules'', armed (and sometimes crowned) ''
or''. Since 1983, the Province of
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
has its own coat of arms. It is very similar to the coat of arms of the State of
Tyrol. The Province wanted to emphasize the historical commonality of the countries. The Province of
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
received its coat of arms in 1340 and refers to the
prince-bishopric of Trento. The former
County of Tyrol
The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with the secularised ...
had a uniform coat of arms, which was slightly changed over the centuries.
File:AUT Tirol COA.svg, Coat of arms of Tyrol (State)
Tyrol (; german: Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a state (''Land'') in western Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical Princely County of Tyrol. It is a constituent part of the present-day Euroregion Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino ( ...
File:Suedtirol CoA.svg, Coat of arms of the Province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...
of South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
File:Trentino CoA.svg, Coat of arms of the Province of Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
File:Coat of arms of Trentino-South Tyrol.svg, Coat of arms of the Region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
of Trentino–South Tyrol
File:Wappen Gefürstete Grafschaft Tirol.png, Coat of arms of the former County of Tyrol
The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with the secularised ...
during the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
History
Prehistory
The earliest archaeological records of human settlement in Tyrol have been found in the
Tischofer Cave. They date from the
Palaeolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός '' palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
, about 28,000–27,000
BP. The same cave has also yielded evidence of human occupation during the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
(very roughly, 4000–3000 BP (2000–1000 BC)).
In 1991, the mummified remains of a man who had died around 3300–3100 BC were discovered in a glacier in the
Ötztal Alps, in Tyrol. Researchers have called him
Ötzi (and also other names, including "The Iceman"). He lived during the
Chalcolithic
The Copper Age, also called the Chalcolithic (; from grc-gre, χαλκός ''khalkós'', "copper" and ''líthos'', "Rock (geology), stone") or (A)eneolithic (from Latin ''wikt:aeneus, aeneus'' "of copper"), is an list of archaeologi ...
or Copper Age, after man had learned how to exploit copper but before man had learned how to make bronze. His body and belongings were very well-preserved, and have been subjected to detailed scientific study. They are preserved in the
South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology
South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology (german: Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum; it, Museo archeologico dell'Alto Adige) is an archaeological museum in the city of Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy. It is the home of the preserved body of Ötzi the Iceman. ...
,
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
, South Tyrol, Italy.
There is evidence that Tyrol was a center for copper mining in the 4th millennium BC; for example, at
Brixlegg
Brixlegg is a market town (since 1927) in the Kufstein district in the Austrian state of Tyrol. The town lies in the Lower Inn Valley and at the entrance of the Alpbachtal.
Neighbouring municipalities
Alpbach, Kramsach, Radfeld, Rattenberg, R ...
. There is also evidence of the
Urnfield culture (roughly 1300–750 BC).
Evidence of the
La Tène culture
The La Tène culture (; ) was a European Iron Age culture. It developed and flourished during the late Iron Age (from about 450 BC to the Roman conquest in the 1st century BC), succeeding the early Iron Age Hallstatt culture without any defi ...
(roughly 450–100 BC, during the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...
) has also been found; as has evidence of the
Fritzens-Sanzeno culture
The Fritzens-Sanzeno culture is an archaeological culture attested in the late Iron Age, from ca. 500 BC until the end of the first century BC, in the Alpine region of Trentino and South Tyrol; in the period of maximum expansion it also reached ...
from about the same period. Toward the end of that time, Tyrol began to be noted in Roman written records. The inhabitants may have been
Illyrians
The Illyrians ( grc, Ἰλλυριοί, ''Illyrioi''; la, Illyrii) were a group of Indo-European-speaking peoples who inhabited the western Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. They constituted one of the three main Paleo-Balkan populations, a ...
, in the process of being displaced by
Celts
The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...
(perhaps themselves displaced from
Noricum
Noricum () is the Latin name for the Celtic kingdom or federation of tribes that included most of modern Austria and part of Slovenia. In the first century AD, it became a province of the Roman Empire. Its borders were the Danube to the nor ...
by
Slavs). There are also indications that
Adriatic Veneti may have been present in the south of the region. The Romans called them
Rhaetians; although it is not clear whether that then meant a specific tribe or confederation of tribes, or was a broader term for the inhabitants of the area. They made wine barrels (an idea which the Romans took from them), and had their own alphabet.
Roman times
In 15 BC, Tyrol was conquered by Roman forces commanded by
Drusus
Drusus may refer to:
* Claudius (Tiberius Claudius Drusus) (10 BC–AD 54), Roman emperor from 41 to 54
* Drusus Caesar (AD 8–33), adoptive grandson of Roman emperor Tiberius
* Drusus Julius Caesar (14 BC–AD 23), son of Roman emperor Tiberius
...
and
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
. The Romans established
Raetia and
Noricum
Noricum () is the Latin name for the Celtic kingdom or federation of tribes that included most of modern Austria and part of Slovenia. In the first century AD, it became a province of the Roman Empire. Its borders were the Danube to the nor ...
as
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...
s of the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
. Raetia included Vinschgau, Burggrafenamt, Eisacktal, Wipptal, Oberinntal and parts of the Unterinntal. Noricum included Pustertal, Defereggen and parts of the Unterinntal to the right of the Ziller and the Inn.
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
and the extreme south of Tyrol belonged to the province of
Venetia et Histria
Venetia et Histria ( Latin: ''Regio X Venetia et Histria'') was an administrative subdivision in the northeast of Roman Italy. It was originally created by Augustus as the tenth ''regio'' in 7 AD alongside the nine other ''regiones''. The region ...
.
The inhabitants adopted the Latin Language called vulgar Latin or the everyday spoken version vs. the standardized written formal form, and combined it with their own languages. The result was
Romansh, which is still spoken today and is one of the official languages of Switzerland.
The Romans constructed
metaled roads guarded by
forts through Tyrol to connect the Italian peninsula and the lands beyond; notably the
Via Claudia Augusta
The Via Claudia Augusta is an ancient Roman road, which linked the valley of the Po River with Rhaetia (encompassing parts of modern Eastern Switzerland, Northern Italy, Western Austria, Southern Germany and all of Liechtenstein) across the Al ...
and the . The Romans did not seem to find Tyrol an attractive area in which to build new towns, because there are few of them. One town they did build was
Aguntum, near modern
Lienz
Lienz (; Southern Bavarian: ''Lianz'') is a medieval town in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is the administrative centre of the Lienz district, which covers all of East Tyrol. The municipality also includes the cadastral subdivision of '' ...
.
In late antiquity (from AD 476), Tyrol belonged to the
Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
, and it was included in the
Ostrogothic Kingdom. In 534, the Ostrogoths lost Merrano, Val Venosta and Passer to the
Franks
The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools ...
. The Ostrogothic Kingdom collapsed in 553, after being overrun by
Bajuvarians from the north and
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...
from the south. The Lombards established the
Duchy of Tridentum The Duchy of Tridentum (Trent) was an autonomous Lombard duchy, established by Euin during the Lombard interregnum of 574–584 that followed the assassination of the Lombard leader Alboin. The stronghold of Euin's territory was the Roman cit ...
(or, Trent; roughly corresponding to modern
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
) in south Tyrol.
Slavic peoples, who had recently taken
Carinthia
Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Bavarian group. Carin ...
from the Bajuvarians, settled in east Tyrol.
Middle Ages
Most of Tyrol came under the control of the
Duchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria (German: ''Herzogtum Bayern'') was a frontier region in the southeastern part of the Merovingian kingdom from the sixth through the eighth century. It was settled by Bavarian tribes and ruled by dukes (''duces'') under ...
(created ). The southern parts, including Bolzano,
Salorno, and the right bank of the
Adige (including
Eppan and
Kaltern) remained under the Lombards. Tyrol was Christianized through the bishoprics of
Brixen
Brixen (, ; it, Bressanone ; lld, Porsenù or ) is a town in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano.
Geography
First mentioned in 901, Brixen is the third largest city and oldest town in the province, and the artistic an ...
and
Triento. The frontier remained the same though
Carolingian and
Ottonian times. The area was subject to ''Stammensgerechte'' (
Ancient Germanic laws), such as ''
Lex Romana Curiensis'', ''
Lex Alamannorum'', ''
Lex Baiuvariorum
The ''Lex Baiuvariorum'' was a collection of the tribal laws of the Bavarii of the sixth through eighth centuries. The first compilation was edited by Eberswind, first abbot of Niederaltaich, in 741 or 743. Duke Odilo, founder supplemented th ...
'' and ''
Leges Langobardorum''.
In 1027, Emperor
Conrad II
Conrad II ( – 4 June 1039), also known as and , was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian emperors, who reigned for one century until 1125, Conrad ruled the kingdoms ...
, in order to secure the important route through the
Brenner Pass
The Brenner Pass (german: link=no, Brennerpass , shortly ; it, Passo del Brennero ) is a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria. It is one of the principal passes of the Eastern Alpine range and has ...
, allotted the left bank of the Adige (from
Lana to
Mezzocorona) to the Duchy of Bavaria. During the 12th century, the local nobility went further: they built
Tyrol Castle in the modern ''
comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' of
Tirol in South Tyrol, near modern
Merano
Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and '' comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeie ...
; and around 1140, established the
County of Tyrol
The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with the secularised ...
as a state within the Holy Roman Empire.
The Counts of Tyrol were at first ''
Vogt
During the Middle Ages, an (sometimes given as modern English: advocate; German: ; French: ) was an office-holder who was legally delegated to perform some of the secular responsibilities of a major feudal lord, or for an institution such as ...
'' (underlords) subject to the Bishoprics of Brixen and Triento; but they had other ideas. They expanded their holdings at those bishoprics' expense. They displaced competing nobles like the , and declared their independence from the Duchy of Bavaria; though not without dispute. In 1228, they conceded the to the
House of Wittelsbach, rulers of Bavaria; as a result, that area remains part of Bavaria to this day.
In 1253, rulership of the County passed by inheritance to the
Meinhardiner family. In 1335, the last male heir to the Meinhardiner lands,
Henry of Bohemia, died. His daughter,
Margaret, thereupon became Countess of Tyrol; but her title was in doubt because of different laws in different lands as to what a woman could or could not inherit. She navigated her way between the competing claims of the Houses of Wittelsbach,
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
and
Habsburg by, in 1342, marrying
Louis of Wittelsbach. Louis died in 1361. Margaret died in 1369, and bequeathed Tyrol to
Rudolf of Habsburg. The various dynastic squabbles were resolved that same year by the , under which (for suitable compensation) the Wittelsbachs agreed to relinquish their claims to Tyrol in favour of the Habsburgs.
When the Habsburgs took control of Tyrol, it had roughly its modern size. However, the
Unterinntal downstream from
Schwaz still belonged to Bavaria; the
Zillertal and
Brixental
The Brixental ("Brixen Valley") is a southeastern side valley of the Tyrolean Lower Inn Valley in Austria with a length of about 30 km (18.6 mi). Near Wörgl (513 m AMSL; 318 mi) the Brixental and Inn valleys meet. The Brixen ...
to
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...
;
Brixen
Brixen (, ; it, Bressanone ; lld, Porsenù or ) is a town in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano.
Geography
First mentioned in 901, Brixen is the third largest city and oldest town in the province, and the artistic an ...
and the
Pustertal were episcopal territories, or part of the
County of Gorizia
The County of Gorizia ( it, Contea di Gorizia, german: Grafschaft Görz, sl, Goriška grofija, fur, Contee di Gurize), from 1365 Princely County of Gorizia, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. Originally mediate ''Vogts'' of the Patriarchs of ...
. On the other hand, the
Montafon and the
Unterengadin were Tyrolean.
Tyrol was of great strategic importance to the Habsburgs. It controlled several important Alpine passes. It connected their landholdings in
Further Austria. In 1406, as the Habsburg lands were split up by inheritance, Tyrol once again became a separate entity (a ''
Landstand''), in which the greater landowners had the right to be consulted (''Mitspracherecht''). During a confusing succession of events, in 1420
Frederick IV, Duke of Austria
Frederick IV (1382 – 24 June 1439), also known as Frederick of the Empty Pockets (german: Friedrich mit der leeren Tasche), a member of the House of Habsburg, was Duke of Austria from 1402 until his death. As a scion of the Habsburg Leopoldian ...
moved the capital of Tyrol from
Meran to
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
, and Meran lost its earlier importance.
Politics
Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino Euroregion
The Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino Euroregion was founded in 1998. The aim is to strengthen cooperation between the separated countries. In several areas, such as mobility, agriculture, education and culture will be tried to promote exchange and to raise the awareness of the cultural and historical heritage of the region of Tyrol in the minds of the population. Cross-border projects will be initiated to improve the relationship between the different language groups. To represent common ideas and values in Europe, the Euroregion has a joint office in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
since 1995. The headquarters of the office is in
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
. Joint decisions are taken by organized three diet (in German: ''Dreier-Landtag''), which have been held since 1991 mostly every two to three years with the
state Diets of Trento (provincial council of Trentino),
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
(provincial council of South Tyrol) and Innsbruck (state council of Tyrol (State)). In 2011, the region was institutionalized and since then has its own legal entity.
Political parties
Political parties in the Italian part of Tyrol (provinces of Bolzano and Trento) include:
*
Partito Democratico (PD)
*
Südtiroler Volkspartei
The South Tyrolean People's Party (german: Südtiroler Volkspartei, SVP) is a regionalist and autonomist political party in South Tyrol, an autonomous province with a German-speaking majority in northern Italy.
Founded on 8 May 1945, the SVP h ...
(SVP)
*
Movimento Cinque Stelle
The Five Star Movement ( it, Movimento 5 Stelle , M5S) is a political party in Italy. Its leader and president is Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy from 2018 until 2021. The M5S was founded on 4 October 2009 by Beppe Grillo, a comedian a ...
(M5S)
*
Lega Nord (LN)
*
Greens
*
South Tyrolean Freedom
*
Die Freiheitlichen
''Die Freiheitlichen'' (), abbreviated dF, is a regionalist, separatist and national-conservative political party in South Tyrol, Italy. The party, which is part of the South Tyrolean independence movement, seeks to represent the German-spea ...
*
Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (PATT)
The Austrian part of Tyrol shares the Austrian party system:
*
Tiroler Volkspartei; organization of the
ÖVP in the state of
Tyrol, which has dominated local politics since 1945
*
Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ)
*
Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)
*
The Greens – The Green Alternative
The Greens – The Green Alternative (german: Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative, ) is a green political party in Austria.
The party was founded in 1986 under the name "Green Alternative" (''Grüne Alternative''), following the merger of the ...
*
NEOS
The multiplicity of parties is due to the fact that Tyrol lies in two different nation states and thus are politically independent of each other. Another reason for the large number of parties is the great independence of the two Provinces of
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
and
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
. By the second statute of autonomy in 1972, the province of Bolzano acquired much of the region's competences and since then has been mostly independent of the province of Trento. The second autonomy statute enabled the linguistic minorities to be better protected. The
regional council of Trentino-South Tyrol, which consists of the two provincial councils of Bolzano and Trento, has less influence and competences. Thus, many parties determine their focus within the provinces. Other parties in
Trentino-South Tyrol, especially in South Tyrol, were founded on the example of Austrian parties and have many similarities with the
parties in Austria.
Economy
In the economic sector statistics are shown, which are based largely on numbers and data of the
Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino. It lacks individual communities that are outside the Euroregion. As there are no 10,000 inhabitants living in these communities, the statistics hardly distort the territory of Tyrol and the remaining 1.8 million inhabitants.
Tyrol had a total GDP of 67.6 billion euros in 2014. Divided into individual countries, the State of
Tyrol generated 28.8 billion euros, the Province of
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
20.6 billion euros and the Province of
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
18.2 billion euros. In GDP per capita (2015), that means 39,300 euros/capita in the State of Tyrol, 42,400 euros/capita in South Tyrol and 35,500 euros/capita in Trentino. The unemployment rate in the State of Tyrol is 3.2% (2014), in South Tyrol 3.4% (2017) and in Trentino 4.6% (2017).
The Tyrol region is one of the wealthiest regions in Europe and, in terms of GDP/capita, is above the EU average, which amounted to 28,900 euros/capita in 2015.
The Region of
Trentino-South Tyrol is, in terms of GDP/capita, the wealthiest region in Italy with 37,813 euros/capita in 2015.
Primary sector
Agriculture and forestry occupy a special position in Tyrol. The many small and medium-sized farms have shaped the landscape and culture in Tyrol for many centuries. In order to be competitive with larger farms outside Tyrol, there is a strong
cooperative
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...
system in Tyrol.
South of Tyrol, in the Region of
Trentino-South Tyrol, the cultivation of apples and wine plays an important role. So every tenth apple in Europe comes from
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
. Known wines in Trentino-South Tyrol are the
Vernatsch, the
Lagrein
Lagrein (pronounced lah-GRAH’EEN, lah-GRINE or lah-GRI’NE) is a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, it is a descendant of Teroldego, and related to Syrah, Pinot noir and Dureza ...
, the
Gewürztraminer and the
Weißburgunder.
Livestock, grazing and forestry are important at higher elevations and in more northerly areas. Mainly cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are kept. Accordingly, the production of milk and
Tyrolean Speck
Tyrolean Speck is a distinctively juniper-flavored ham originally from Tyrol, a historical region that since 1918 partially lies in Italy. Its origins at the intersection of two culinary worlds is reflected in its synthesis of salt-curing and ...
in the farms is very important. Horses also play an increasingly important role in livestock, for equestrian sports and farm holidays. The
Haflinger horses are known in the Tyrolean region and originate from
Hafling, near
Merano
Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and '' comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeie ...
.
Secondary sector
The first industrialization reached Tyrol late in the 19th century. Most of these were small businesses that were important only in the local area. A second wave of industrialization took place at the beginning of the 20th century. Particularly affected at that time was the city of
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
with the
Italianization policy under Fascism in the 1920s.
In 2011, approximately 10% of the workplaces in all parts of the country were active in the manufacturing sector. Thus lies Tyrol in the EU average at 10.3% (2011). Important branches of industry in Tyrol are the food industry, wood processing and mechanical engineering.
The industry in Tyrol consists mostly of small and medium-sized companies. The craft still plays a special role throughout the region. A large part of these craft businesses are still partially small-structured and family businesses. From an economic point of view, the energy sector is important in the secondary sector. Much of the electricity produced is generated by
hydropower
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of ...
.
Tertiary sector
The most important sector in Tyrol is the tertiary sector. Especially tourism has a special position in this region. Due to the connection of the areas by the railway in the 19th century, many villages in Tyrol developed into popular tourism locations. The construction of the Brenner motorway in the 1960s gave the region in the 20th century a renewed upswing in the tourism branch. Today,
Merano
Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and '' comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeie ...
,
Kitzbühel,
Cortina
Cortina may refer to:
Things
* Cortina (tango), a short piece of music played during a tango dance event
* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982
**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the ...
or
Riva del Garda are among the most important tourism destinations in the Alpine region. In 2013, the
Euroregion counted over 80 million overnight stays in the Tyrolean region (to compare -
Province of Rome
The Province of Rome ( it, Provincia di Roma) was one of the five provinces that formed part of the region of Lazio in Italy. It was established in 1870 and disestablished in 2014. It was essentially coterminous with the Rome metropolitan area. ...
in 2011: 25.8 million overnight stays).
Also important for Tyrol is the trade. Among other things, the
Exhibition of Bolzano has been a meeting point for Italian and German economy already for centuries. As a transit route country, more than 2.25 million trucks (2017) drove over the
Brenner Pass
The Brenner Pass (german: link=no, Brennerpass , shortly ; it, Passo del Brennero ) is a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria. It is one of the principal passes of the Eastern Alpine range and has ...
. This means that two times more trucks travel on the Brenner Route than in all four Alpine crossing roads in Switzerland together.
Transport
Tyrol is known as a transit route. The most important route between northern and southern Europe, the Brenner route, traverses the entire region. At 1370 m above the Adriatic, the
Brenner Pass
The Brenner Pass (german: link=no, Brennerpass , shortly ; it, Passo del Brennero ) is a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria. It is one of the principal passes of the Eastern Alpine range and has ...
is the lowest pass crossing of the
main chain of the Alps
The main chain of the Alps, also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the drainage divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest ...
.
Due to the linguistic diversity and the climatic transition from
temperate climate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...
(
alpine climate
Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate.
Definition
There are multiple definitions o ...
) to
mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
, the area is regarded as a bridge between the Italian and German speaking countries.
Airports
The most important airport in Tyrol is
Innsbruck Airport. With over one million passengers, it is the third largest airport in Austria. Other airports in the region are in
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
and
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
. These do not offer regular scheduled flights and the
Bolzano Airport currently offers charter flights. There are other small airfields in
Toblach,
Kufstein,
St. Johann in Tirol,
Reutte and
Cortina
Cortina may refer to:
Things
* Cortina (tango), a short piece of music played during a tango dance event
* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982
**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the ...
. The airfield in Cortina was closed in 1976 due to a crash.
Road transport
Highways in Tyrol are the Brenner motorway and the Inntal motorway. The Brenner motorway runs from
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
(in Austria
A13) to Modena (in Italy
A22). Together with the Inntal motorway from
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
to
Kufstein is the part of the
European route E45. The dual carriageway from
Merano
Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and '' comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeie ...
to
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
(MeBo) ends in Bolzano South in the Brenner motorway. Important road section in
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
, next to the Brenner motorway, is the SS 47 (Strada Statale 47), which connects via
Sugana Valley Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
with
Padova. A large part of this route is dual-lane and flows into the Brenner state road (SS 12).
Due to the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, there are many
mountain pass
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both human and animal migr ...
es that connect valleys. The most important pass roads for transit trade are the
Reschen Pass and
Brenner Pass
The Brenner Pass (german: link=no, Brennerpass , shortly ; it, Passo del Brennero ) is a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria. It is one of the principal passes of the Eastern Alpine range and has ...
. Popular pass roads include the
Stelvio Pass,
Arlberg Pass,
Karer Pass,
Mendel Pass and the
Gardena Pass. The Provinces of
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
and
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
have been responsible for the preservation and management of the state roads in their provinces since 1998.
Railways
The most important railway line in Tyrol is the Brenner Line via the
Brenner Pass
The Brenner Pass (german: link=no, Brennerpass , shortly ; it, Passo del Brennero ) is a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria. It is one of the principal passes of the Eastern Alpine range and has ...
. The
Brenner Railway was opened in 1867 and runs from
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
to
Verona
Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city municipality in the region and the second largest in nor ...
via the cities of
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
and
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
. Together with the
Lower Inn Valley Railway in
North Tyrol, this section of the route is part of the important European railway axis
Berlin-Palermo, which connects northern Europe with southern Europe across the Alps. With the construction of the
Brenner Base Tunnel and its completion in 2027, transit traffic on the rail will be promoted and relocated. After completion, the
Brenner Base Tunnel, together with the
Innsbruck bypass, will be the longest railway tunnel in the world at 64 km and will reduce the travel time between
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
and
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
from 2 hours to 45 minutes.
Further important railway lines in Tyrol are the
Arlberg railway
The Arlberg Railway (german: Arlbergbahn), which connects the Austrian cities Innsbruck and Bludenz, is Austria's only ''east-west'' mountain railway. It is one of the highest standard gauge railways in Europe and the second highest in Austria, a ...
,
Zillertal railway,
Salzburg-Tyrol railway, Pustertal railway with continuation of the Drautal railway, the railway line Bolzano-Merano and the continuation of the Vinschgau railway, the
Trento–Malè–Mezzana railway and the
Valsugana railway, which leads from
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
to
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
over the
Sugana Valley. Cross-border connections are offered only a few. The
ÖBB
The Austrian Federal Railways (german: Österreichische Bundesbahnen, formally (lit. "Austrian Federal Railways Holding Stock Company") and formerly the or ''BBÖ''), now commonly known as ÖBB, is the national railway company ...
travels over the Brenner Pass on the
Eurocity trains and several regional trains connect
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
with
North Tyrol an
East Tyrol. The
Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino has set itself the goal of promoting and expanding cross-border connections. The aim is to shift traffic through the Alps to sustainable means of transport, thus protecting the Alpine environment.
Local public transport
Many villages and communities are difficult to reach because of the large differences in altitude, so the region sets much on
ropeway concepts. Although most of the
cable cars are located in ski resorts, they are also used for the local public transport. Known cable cars in Tyrol are the Ritten cable car in
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
, the Sardagna cable car in
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
and the
Nordkette cable car
The Nordkette Cable Car (german: Nordkettenbahn) in the Austrian state of Tyrol is a gondola lift from Innsbruck to the Nordkette, the southernmost mountain chain of the Karwendel.
It runs in two sections from the Innsbruck quarter of Hungerbur ...
in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
. Also
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite ...
railways are being built to cope with the differences in altitude more quickly. Famous funiculars are among others the
Hungerburgbahn
The Hungerburgbahn is a hybrid funicular railway in Innsbruck, Austria, connecting the city district of Hungerburg with the city centre. The current line opened on 1 December 2007, replacing a previous alignment that operated from 1906 to 2005. ...
in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
and the
Mendel funicular in
Kaltern.
Local public transport is usually offered with intercity buses or city buses. The city of
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
has its own tram network. Another
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport ...
is located in
Ritten. The cities of
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
,
Merano
Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and '' comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeie ...
and
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
formerly had their own tram network, but these were displaced and replaced by the city buses and private transport in the 50s and 60s.
Culture
The Tyrolean culture has been cultivated for several centuries and passed on to future generations. The state border between South and North Tyrol is more a political border and is considered less as a cultural border. Many traditions are cultivated throughout the Tyrolean region and show little differences. In all cultural areas such as food, dress or customs there are many similarities. Nevertheless, the individual language groups, especially the minority languages, try to maintain and promote their own linguistic identity.
Tyrolean cuisine
The
Tyrolean cuisine has similarities with the
Austrian cuisine and is characterized by its alpine influence. Also the historical influence of the former
K.U.K. Monarchy can be found in the Tyrolean dishes. These include dishes such as
goulash,
Kaiserschmarrn and
apple strudel which are consumed in large parts of the
Danube monarchy and today still in Tyrol. Since the region is still relatively strong agricultural and peasant today, also many peasant dishes are offered on the farms.
Schlutzkrapfen,
boiled dumplings or cold cuts with
bacon (in German: ''Speck'') or
grey cheese is eaten on the farms.
The Tyrolean dishes show only slight differences throughout Tyrol. Due to the Mediterranean conditions in the southern part of Tyrol, a lot of wine is grown and is therefore also an important part of the Tyrolean dish, especially in
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
and
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
. Famous wines from this area are the
Gewürztraminer,
Pinot Blanc,
Pinot Grigio and
Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new ...
. Furthermore, a lot of apples are grown in the Region of
Trentino-South Tyrol. In this region also a food culture is cultivated with a mixture of Italian and Tyrolean specialties.
Tyrolean Rifles
The Tyrolean Rifles were a militia organized in case of an attack on
crown land
Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it ...
, which required Tyrol to defend its territory. The militia consisted mostly of citizens and peasants who were responsible only for the defence of their own land and were not obliged to go to war on behalf of the
Habsburg monarchy
The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
. They were authorized by an order signed by
Emperor Maximilian I in 1511 that remained valid until 1918. The Tyrolean Rifles became known in
1809 when Tyrolese peasants rose up and fought against the French-Bavarian occupation under
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
. The ensuing four
Battles of Bergisel were led by
Andreas Hofer. The Rifles were also used in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
in 1915 on the
Dolomite front. After the separation of Tyrol and the downfall of the monarchy, the companies also lost their task of defending their country. Nevertheless, they remained as a non-governmental organization. Today, the Rifles are responsible as an organization for the preservation of the Tyrolean culture and are always present at important political events in Tyrol.
Customs
Many Tyrolean customs were created centuries ago and are passed on by the population for the next generations. Typical in the Alpine region are the many individual customs in the valleys. Due to the seclusion of the valleys, the locals developed their own customs. Many customs have been created by legends and narratives, others by the close connection to the church. There are also traditions that are cultivated everywhere in the Tyrolean region and do not differ from other valleys and villages. These customs give local people an identity and thus feel the community more connected.
File:Krampus2.jpg, Krampus in Dobbiaco. Typical in the alpine region.
File:Imst Schemenlaufen 2016 34.jpg, ''Imster Schemenlaufen'' in Imst
Imst (; Southern Bavarian: ''Imscht'') is a town in the Austrian federal state of Tyrol. It lies on the River Inn in western Tyrol, some west of Innsbruck and at an altitude of above sea level. With a current population (2013) of 9,552, I ...
File:Ifinger Mountain - Herz Jesu Fires - South Tyrol.jpg, Herz Jesu Fire in whole Tyrol
Sports
Tyrol is traditionally a winter sports country. Many athletes, such as
Gustav Thoeni,
Benjamin Raich,
Carolina Kostner,
Gregor Schlierenzauer,
Toni Sailer and
Armin Zoeggeler
Armin (Armyn) is a given name or surname, and is:
* An ancient Indo-European name:
** a German/Dutch given name,
*** a modern form of the name Arminius (18/17 BC–AD 21), a German prince who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Fo ...
have already won overall World Cups and medals at World Championships and Olympic Games.
Even in summer sports, several athletes from Tyrol were and still are among the best in the world. In water jumping
Tania Cagnotto
Tania Cagnotto (; born 15 May 1985) is an Italian diver. She is the first female Italian diver to win a medal in a World Championship. A five-time Olympian, she won medals in both individual and synchronized springboard diving in her final appe ...
and
Klaus Dibiasi
Klaus Dibiasi (born 6 October 1947) is a former diver from Italy, who competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his country, starting in 1964. He dominated the platform event from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, winning a total number of ...
won several medals. In cycling,
Francesco Moser won the
Giro d'Italia.
Andreas Seppi played against the best tennis players in the world for many years. In
bouldering Anna Stöhr
Anna Stöhr (born 25 April 1988 in Reith im Alpbachtal, Austria) is a professional climber. She is a champion in bouldering climbing competitions. She won four Bouldering World Cups, in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and two World Championships, in 20 ...
was one of the best in the world.
Many Tyrolean mountaineers such as
Reinhold Messner and
Hans Kammerlander
Hans Kammerlander (born 6 December 1956, Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy) is an Italian mountaineer, living in Ahornach, a hamlet nearby Sand in Taufers. He has climbed 13 of the 14 8000m peaks. In 1984, together with Reinhold Messner he was the fi ...
influenced the
alpinism.
Football
The
FC Wacker Innsbruck
FC Wacker Innsbruck was an Austrian association football club from Innsbruck, Tyrol.
History
The ''Fußball-Club Wacker'' ("Valiant") ''Innsbruck'' was established in 1915 by Jakob Hanspeter, Benedikt Hosp, Josef Leitner, Josef Albrecht and o ...
is one of the most traditional and successful clubs in Austria. Since the club was founded in 1915 and several name changes, the football club has won ten times the Austrian Championship and seven times the Austrian Cup. In 1987, it reached the semi-finals of the
UEFA CUP. In 1970, the team defeated Real Madrid in Madrid. Currently (2018) Wacker Innsbruck plays in the "
Erste Liga" (second highest category of Austria).
In the Region of
Trentino-South Tyrol, the
FC Südtirol and
AC Trento are the two most important clubs. Both teams participated in the Italian
Serie C
The Serie C () is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing body that runs the Serie C.
The unification of the Lega P ...
(third highest league in Italy) for several seasons. The AC Trento has a long history until 1921. FC Südtirol was founded in 1995. AC Trento are currently (2018) playing in the Italian
Serie D
The Serie D () is the top level of semi-professional football in the country. The fourth tier of the Italian league system, the competition sits beneath the third professional league, Serie C. It is administered by the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti ...
(fourth highest league in Italy) and FC Südtirol in
Serie C
The Serie C () is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing body that runs the Serie C.
The unification of the Lega P ...
. Thus, the FC Südtirol is the only professional football club in the region.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey is a very popular sport in Tyrol. Important clubs are the
HC Bolzano and the
HC Innsbruck. Both teams play in the
EBEL. The HC Innsbruck, formerly
EV Innsbruck, won the Austrian championship seven times. With 19 won Italian championships, the HC Bolzano is the record champion in Italy. The club celebrated the biggest international successes by winning the
Alpenliga
The Alpenliga was an international professional ice hockey league which existed between 1991 and 1999. It was contested by club teams from Austria, Italy and Slovenia.
In 1994-95 and 1995–96, the Alpenliga was part of a larger competition call ...
, the
EBEL and the
Six Nations Tournament with
Jaromír Jágr
Jaromír Jágr (; born 15 February 1972) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for and the owner of Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Pengui ...
. The Italian ice hockey league consists mostly of South Tyrolean teams. 5 of the 8 Italian teams in the
Alps Hockey League come from South Tyrol (
HC Neumarkt-Egna,
HC Pustertal,
Ritten Sport
Rittner Buam (local dialect for boys) is a professional Italian ice hockey team from Ritten, Italy, playing in the Alps Hockey League and formerly the Serie A.
History
The club was founded in 1984 under the name SV Renon (Ritten Sportverein). I ...
,
HC Gardena and
WSV Sterzing Broncos). In this league three more Tyrolean teams play (
SG Cortina
Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina is an ice hockey team from Italy. They play their home games at ''Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio'', located in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Veneto. They currently play in the Alps Hockey League
The Alps Hockey League (AlpsHL) ...
,
HC Fassa and
EC Kitzbühel).
In 2005, the
Ice Hockey World Championship was held in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
and Vienna. The
1994 Ice Hockey World Championship took place in
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
,
Canazei
Canazei (Ladin: ''Cianacéi'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located in the upper part of the Val di Fassa, about northeast of Trento. Its name derives from the Lati ...
and Milan.
Volleyball
In volleyball,
Trentino Volley
Trentino Volley is a professional Italian volleyball team based in Trento, in northern Italy. It plays in the Italian Volleyball League without interruption since 2000. It has won four times the Italian Volleyball League, the Italian Cup, the Ita ...
is one of the best teams in the world. Three times the
Champions league title, four times the club
world championship
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
title and four times the
Italian championship title could win the club from
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
. Founded in 2000, the club quickly established itself at the top of the league. In 2011,
Trentino Volley
Trentino Volley is a professional Italian volleyball team based in Trento, in northern Italy. It plays in the Italian Volleyball League without interruption since 2000. It has won four times the Italian Volleyball League, the Italian Cup, the Ita ...
won the
CEV Champions League
The CEV Champions League is the top official competition for men's volleyball clubs from the whole of Europe. The competition is organised every year by the European Volleyball Confederation.
Formula (2018–19 to present) Qualification
A t ...
ahead of its own fans at the
PalaOnda
PalaOnda or Eiswelle, called Sparkasse Arena since 2022 for sponsorship reasons, is an indoor sports arena in Bolzano, Italy. It was built to host the 1994 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships along with Forum di Assago and has a capacity of 7, ...
in
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
.
Hypo Tirol Innsbruck conquered the Austrian title 10 times. Of the last 13 seasons, the team won 10 times the Austrian championship. Since the season 2017/18 the club plays in the German volleyball league under the name "Hypo Tirol Alpenvolleys Haching". The club went into cooperation with the German team
TSV Unterhaching
TSV Unterhaching is a German volleyball club which plays its home matches at the Bayernwerk Sportarena in Unterhaching. It plays in the 1. Bundesliga.
Honours
1. Bundesliga
*Runners up: 2009, 2010, 2012
German Cup
*Winners (4): 2009, 2010, 201 ...
.
Sports events
In Tyrol, the
Olympic Winter Games have been organized three times so far. In
1964 and
1976 they were held in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a p ...
and
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...
in
Cortina
Cortina may refer to:
Things
* Cortina (tango), a short piece of music played during a tango dance event
* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982
**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the ...
.
Most of the big annual sporting events in Tyrol take place in winter. The
Alpine Skiing World Cup is held in
Kitzbühel,
Val Gardena,
Cortina
Cortina may refer to:
Things
* Cortina (tango), a short piece of music played during a tango dance event
* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982
**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the ...
and
Madonna di Campiglio
Madonna di Campiglio (german: Sankt Maria im Pein) is a village and a ski resort in northeast Italy. It is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Pinzolo. The village lies in the Val Rendena at an elevation of above sea level, and has approximat ...
. These races are classics in the Ski World Cup and have a long tradition.
A famous
biathlon location is in
Antholz. There were often held the Biathlon World Championships. Several
Nordic Combined World Championships were organized in
Val di Fiemme. Part of the
Four Hills Tournament is the
Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck. A stage of the
Tour de Ski
Tour or Tours may refer to:
Travel
* Tourism, travel for pleasure
* Tour of duty, a period of time spent in military service
* Campus tour, a journey through a college or university's campus
* Guided tour, a journey through a location, directed ...
is also located in
Toblach.
Some summer sports events are also held in Tyrol. The
Tour of the Alps take place every year in Tyrol. The tour was launched by the
Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino. It is the successor of the
Giro del Trentino
The Tour of the Alps is an annual professional cycling stage race in Italy and Austria. First held in 1962, it was named Giro del Trentino ( en, Tour of Trentino) until 2016, and run over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region ...
, which has been around for over 40 years. In 2017, the UCI
Downhill World Championships took place in
Val di Sole, near
Trento
Trento ( or ; Ladin and lmo, Trent; german: Trient ; cim, Tria; , ), also anglicized as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th centu ...
. The
BOclassic
The BOclassic is an annual road running competition over the distance of 10 kilometres for men and 5 kilometres for women. It is held on New Year's Eve in Bolzano, Italy. The competition has only elite races, competed between a limited number of ...
in
Bolzano
Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third ...
takes place on New Year's Eve and is one of the best occupied New Year's Eve races in the world.
Every year, an
ATP World Series
The ATP International Series (known from 1990 to 1997 as the ATP World Series) was a series of professional tennis tournaments held internationally as part of the ATP Tour from 2000 to 2008.
The series was renamed ATP Tour 250 in 2009. Internat ...
tennis tournament is organized in
Kitzbühel.
Universities and research institutions
Universities
*
University of Innsbruck
The University of Innsbruck (german: Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck; la, Universitas Leopoldino Franciscea) is a public research university in Innsbruck, the capital of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol, founded on October 15, 1669. ...
*
University of Trento
*
Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
*
*
Medical University of Innsbruck
Colleges
* Philosophical-theological Academy Brixen
*
Conservatory "Claudio Monteverdi"
* Tyrolean State Conservatory
*
University of Applied Sciences Kufstein
* Health university of Applied Science Tyrol
*
MCI Management Center Innsbruck
* Pedagogical University of Applied Science Tyrol
* Ecclesiastical Pedagogical University of Applied Science – Edith Stein
*
State College of Health Professions "Claudiana"
Independent research institutions
* Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, a facility of
Austrian Academy of Sciences
*
Eurac Research
*
NOI Techpark
NOI Techpark is the science and technology park of South Tyrol that hosts 4 research institutes ( Fraunhofer Italia, Eurac Research, ClimateHouse and Research Centre Laimburg), 4 Faculties of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 40 scientific l ...
* Foundation Bruno Kessler
*
Edmund Mach Foundation
The Edmund Mach Foundation, formerly the ''Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige'' (IASMA), is an agrarian institution and Italian wine, wine academy located in Trentino in north-east Italy. It was founded in 1874, when the Tyrolean Diet (as ...
* Research-Center Laimburg
See also
*
County of Tyrol
The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with the secularised ...
*
Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino Euroregion
*
Austria–Italy border
The Austro-Italian border is a land border along the Alps between the Republic of Italy and the Republic of Austria. A border has existed since 1861, but the current one only since 1919. It has been an EU internal border since 1 January 1995. ...
References
{{Authority control
Divided regions