The Vinschgau, Vintschgau () or Vinschgau Valley ( ; ; ; medieval toponym: ''Finsgowe'') is the upper part of the

Adige The Adige is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the province of South Tyrol, near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland, and flows through most of northeastern Italy ...

or Etsch river valley, in the western part of the province of

South Tyrol South Tyrol ( , ; ; ), officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, is an autonomous administrative division, autonomous provinces of Italy, province in northern Italy. Together with Trentino, South Tyrol forms the autonomo ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Etymology

The

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

name ''Vinschgau'', like Italian ''Val Venosta'', is derived from the

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

(

Rhaetian The Rhaetian is the latest age (geology), age of the Triassic period (geology), Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage (stratigraphy), stage of the Triassic system (stratigraphy), System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the N ...

)

Venostes The Venostes were a Celtic or Rhaetian tribe dwelling in the present-day Vinschgau Valley (Val Venosta) during the Iron Age. Name They are mentioned as ''Venostes'' by Pliny (1st c. AD). Pliny. ''Naturalis Historia''3:20 Geography The Venos ...

tribes mentioned on the ancient

Tropaeum Alpium The Tropaeum Alpium (; ) is a Roman trophy ('' tropaeum'') celebrating the emperor Augustus's decisive victory over the tribes who populated the Alps. The monument's ruins are in La Turbie (France), a few kilometers from the Principality of Mo ...

. A

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties * Francia, a post-Roman ...

'' Gau'' was established under

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

in 772; it was first mentioned in a 1077 deed, when King

Henry IV of Germany Henry IV (; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the son of Henry III, Holy R ...

granted the estates of

Schlanders Schlanders (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about west of the city of Bolzano. Overview Schlanders borders the following municipalities: Latsch, Laas, Mals, Martell, Schnals. Schla ...

''in pago Finsgowe'' to Bishop Altwin of

Brixen Brixen (; , ; or , ) is a town and communes of Italy, commune in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano. Geography Brixen is the third-largest city and oldest town in the province, with a population of nearly twenty-three t ...

Geography

The Vinschgau ValleyAllgemeiner historischer Handatlas, Gustav Droysen runs in a west-east orientation, from the

Merano Merano (, ; ) or Meran () is a (municipality) in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Generally best known for its Spa town, spa resorts, it is located within a Depression (geology), basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to Height above mean sea ...

basin at

Partschins Partschins (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 3,523 and an area of .All dem ...

up the Adige river to

Reschen Pass Reschen Pass (, ; ) is a mountain pass across the main chain of the Alps, connecting the Upper Inn Valley in the northwest with the Vinschgau region in the southeast. Since 1919, the border between South Tyrol, Italy and Tyrol, Austria has app ...

in the northwest. The

Ötztal Alps The Ötztal Alps (, ) are a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps, in the Tyrol (state), State of Tyrol in western Austria and the South Tyrol, Province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. Geography The Ötztal Alps are arrayed at the head of ...

in the north, part of the Alpine crest, separate it from the upper

Inn Valley The Inn (; ; ) is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The long river is a right tributary of the Danube, being the third largest tributary of the Danube by discharge. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernin ...

. The Adige valley is further confined by the

Sesvenna Alps The Sesvenna Alps are a mountain range located in the Alps of eastern Switzerland, northern Italy and western Austria. Geography Sesvenna Alps are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps. Their high dolomitic peaks overlook Scuol in th ...

in the west and the

Ortler Alps The Ortler Alps ( ; ; ) are a mountain range of the :Southern Limestone Alps, Southern Limestone Alps mountain group in the Central Eastern Alps, in Italy and Switzerland. Geography The Ortler Alps are separated from: # the Sesvenna Alps in the n ...

in the south. It comprises several side valleys, such as the

Suldental The Suldental (; ) is a side valley of the Trafoi Valley in South Tyrol, Italy. The village in the valley is Sulden Sulden (; ) is a mountain village in South Tyrol, northern Italy. It is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Stilfs. Geography ...

, the

Matscher Tal The Matscher Tal (also ; ) is a side valley of the Vinschgau in South Tyrol, Italy. It is part of the municipality of Mals Mals (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolz ...

, or the

Schnalstal The Schnalstal () is a side valley of the Vinschgau in the autonomous administrative division, autonomous province of South Tyrol, Italy. It belongs almost in its entirety to the municipality of Schnals, while small parts in the entrance area lie ...

. Due to the insular location within the

Central Eastern Alps The Central Eastern Alps (), also referred to as Austrian Central Alps () or just Central Alps, comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps in Austria and the adjacent regions of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy and Slovenia. South of them is ...

, a rather warm climate and a lack of rain (400mm per year), fields, meadows and

apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

orchards are irrigated.

Viticulture Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine ...

is also common. According to the 2001 census, 96.51% of the population of the valley speak German, 3.41% Italian and 0.08% Ladin as first language.Bevölkerung und soziales Leben, Statistisches Jahrbuch 2006
, p. 120, tab. 3.19

Subdivision

The Vinschgau District (; ) was established in 1962. The district covers the largest part of the Vinschgau region and its side valleys, in which 13 municipalities cooperate: Comuni val venosta-gemeinden vinschgau

Kastelbell-Tschars Kastelbell-Tschars (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 2,387 and an area of .All demographics and other statistics: I ...

(''Castelbello-Ciardes'') #

Graun im Vinschgau Graun im Vinschgau (; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano, on the border with Austria and Switzerland. Geography At 1 January 2011, it had a registered populati ...

(''Curon Venosta'') #

Glurns Glurns (; ; ) is an urban ''comune'' (''Stadt'') in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). Geography As of 30 November 2010, it ha ...

(''Glorenza'') #

Latsch Latsch (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of the city of Bolzano Bolzano ( ; ; or ) is the capital city of South Tyrol (officially the province of B ...

(''Laces'') # Laas (''Lasa'') #

Mals Mals (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland and Austria. History Coat-of-arms The emblem is party per fess: the upper of gules a ...

(''Malles Venosta'') # Martell (''Martello'') #

Prad am Stilfser Joch Prad am Stilfser Joch (; ), often abbreviated to Prad, is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about west of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland, and near the Stelvio Pass. Geograp ...

(''Prato allo Stelvio'') #

(''Silandro'', the district capital) #

Schluderns Schluderns (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 1,831 and an area of .All demographics and other statist ...

(''Sluderno'') #

Schnals Schnals (; ) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the autonomous province of South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria. The municipality includes large parts of the Schnalstal. G ...

(''Senales'') #

Stilfs Stilfs (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. It is located near the northern ramp of the eponymous Stelvio Pass. The municipality of Stilfs contains the ''frazioni'' (subdivisions, mainly villages ...

(''Stelvio'') #

Taufers im Münstertal Taufers im Münstertal (; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about west of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland. Geography As of November 30, 2010, it had a population of 964 and an area ...

(''Tubre'') The municipalities of

Naturns Naturns (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of 31 December 2015, it had a population of 5,739 and an area of .All demog ...

(''Naturno''),

Plaus Plaus (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about north-west of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of July 2023, the municipality had a population of 762 and an area of .All demographics and ot ...

and

(''Parcines'') geographically belong to the lower Vinschgau region, though politically they are affiliated with the neighbouring

Burggrafenamt The Burggrafenamt ( , ) is a district (, ) in the western part of the Italian province of South Tyrol. It comprises the part of the Adige river valley between Naturns and Bolzano, and its side valleys Passeier Valley and Ulten Valley. Overview ...

district.

References

External links

*
Vinschgau District
{{Authority control Districts of South Tyrol