Novacella Abbey, still run by the Augustinian order, lies a few kilometers from Bressanone/Brixen. It is surrounded by woods, meadows and vineyards.
The building was founded in 1142 by the bishop of Bressanone and from the beginning was a home for wayfarers and pilgrims travelling to Rome or to the Holy Land. In a short time the abbey became the most important cultural and spiritual center in the Tyrolean region.
The monastery, which is the largest in the region, is composed of several buildings from different periods and styles, from Romanesque to Gothic and from Baroque to Rococo.
Today there are few elements that can be dated back to the Romanesque period. The main changes had been made during the Renaissance. During this period the "Wheel of the Wonders", a wheel situated in the central courtyard, on which are represented the Seven Wonders of the World (1673). In the 18th-century, the cathedral was renovated in the Baroque style. The cloister and frescoes and the library with its unique works (including some incunabula) are worth a prolonged visit.
Besides the rich library and the cultural events, Novacella is well-known for its wines which guarantees the economic independence of the Abbey.
For centuries, along the sunny slopes of the area, the vineyards have produced Silvaner, Müller Thurgau, Traminer, Kerner, Pinot Grigio and Veltliner. Two other vineyards near Bolzano produce excellent red wines.
Abbazia di Novacella Stiftskellerei Neustift
Via Abbazia 1 / Stiftsstr. 1
39040 Varna / Varn (BZ)
p.+(0472)- 836189
f.+(0472)- 837305
Urban von Klebelsberg
Praepositus
Praepositus Blauburgunder Riserva
Praepositus Lagrein Dunkel Riserva
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