Near Bressanone lies Barbiano, a village with 1,500 inhabitants surrounded by green pastures, splendid chestnut groves, and fruit trees. The name originates from the Latin “Barbius”, who was presumably a well-situated landowner in the Roman era. Today, Barbiano is a popular tourist destination due to its sunny location, with an entire season dedicated to chestnuts and sweet prunes.
1.57 metres from being vertical the Barbiano tower leans even more than its famous brother in Pisa. The church that the tower belongs to dates back to between the 12th and 14th century.
What do German emperors have in common with scholars and writers such as Goethe, Sigmund Freud or Christian Morgenstern? They all came through Barbiano. In ancient times, the emperors avoided the valleys. On their way through the Alps, they would travel with their entourage along the trail above the Isarco Valley, which is why it is known today as the Emperors Trail. Other travellers such as pilgrims, poets and thinkers took the same route and spent many leisurely hours there, being attracted to the geography and the climate above the Isarco Valley.