The former climatic health resort around the Muri-Gries Monastery extends to Bolzano’s main rivers, the Talvera, Isarco and Adige
Image gallery: Bolzano Gries-San Quirino
Bolzano's second-largest district in terms of area stretches around the Muri-Gries Monastery at the Piazza Gries. It is the heart of Gries-San Quirino and a protected ensemble consisting of the Benedictine monastery and the Collegiate Church of St. Augustine. A Nativity Scene Museum is housed in these walls. Other museums in the district are the Pons Drusi Museum with findings from the Roman period and the Greenhouse III, a unique garden centre with art exhibition.
From there, Gries-San Quirino then stretches towards San Maurizio, where the hospital and the newly built Bolzano Winery are located. The route then goes up Mount Guncina, to the new Neugries residential area, and along the Viale Druso, Bolzano's main road, to the right bank of the Talvera River. Once Gries was a municipality in its own right and one of South Tyrol's health resorts: One of the oldest travel documentaries produced in Austria is called "Bolzano with the climatic health resort Gries" and was made in 1913. San Quirino (Quirein) was one of its seven districts. The village owes its name to St. Quirinus of Tegernsee, as the monks from the Tegernsee Monastery ran a winery on the right bank of the Talvera River.
During fascism, Gries was annexed to Bolzano as a district, but has preserved its village image with its rural character and old wineries. Wine is also still grown here: The best-known varieties are Lagrein and Merlot, most of which are produced in the Bolzano Winery and the Muri-Gries Winery which belongs to the monastery. Already in earlier times, Gries was well-known for its panoramic views on Bolzano: Today you can follow the Guncina Promenade to enjoy a view on the town.
