Diocesan Museum at the Bishop’s Palace

The Bishop's Palace in the town of Bressanone boasts a rich history. Built in 1250 as the residence of the prince-bishops, it served as the bishop's seat until 1964. Even the courtyard itself, with its impressive gate, Renaissance loggias, and Baroque facades, is worth a visit. Today, the Bishop's Palace houses the Diocesan Museum, the Cathedral Treasury, and a Nativity Museum.

Opened in 1901, the Bressanone Diocesan Museum initially collected Romanesque and Gothic artworks threatened with decay. The exhibition now encompasses a diverse range of exhibits: Romanesque religious art, Gothic sculptures, murals and panel paintings, and late Gothic works by Master Leonard of Bressanone and Hans Klocker. The collection is further enhanced by works from the Baroque, Classicism, and Romantic periods.

Furnishings, textiles, and documents narrate the history of the Bishop's Palace. A permanent loan from the Province of South Tyrol, the Siegfried Unterberger Collection, featuring Tyrolean artists of the 19th century, further expands the museum's offerings. The Cathedral Treasury showcases precious goldsmiths' crosses, ivory art, and the Albuin Chasuble (1000 AD): This liturgical vestment, crafted from Byzantine silk, was gifted to Bishop Albuin of Bressanone by either Henry II of England or Conrad II of Germany. The Nativity Museum is located on the ground floor.

Here, you can admire a year-round nativity scene with 5,000 figures, as well as Christmas nativity scenes from Bressanone, Tyrol, Naples, and Sicily. How to get to the Diocesan Museum: The Bishop's Palace rises majestically on the square of the same name in the centre of Bressanone, near the Cathedral, where the Christmas Market takes place during Advent. The Bishop's Palace is a five- to ten-minute walk from the car park or the bus stop.