Vipiteno Town Hall and Mithras Stone

A beautiful late Gothic building is located in the town of Vipiteno in the Upper Valle Isarco: it is the town hall, which is still in use today, 650 years after its construction. The Vipiteno Town Hall - "Rathaus Sterzing" in German, "Municipio di Vipiteno" in Italian - was built between 1468 and 1472. At that time, there was a silver mine in the nearby Val Ridanna, which also attracted businessmen like the Augsburg family of the Fugger to come to Vipiteno. The town hall was splendidly furnished. On the outside it can be recognised by its oriels, inside there is the Gothic council hall with its impressive wall panelling and beamed ceiling which is one of the best preserved in all of Tyrol. This is still the place where the municipal council meetings are held.

In the inner courtyard of the Vipiteno Town Hall, two particularities can be found: the Mithras Stone and the Roman Milestone. The Mithras Stone dates back to 200 AD, when Roman legions passed through the valley. It is a Roman altar stone dedicated to Mithras, a Roman deity born from a stone in a rock cave whose cult goes back to the Persian god Mithra. It was found in a rock cave near Mules and is one of the most important Roman monuments in the country today.

Also the Roman Milestone can be found in the inner courtyard. It dates back to about the same time when Emperor Septimus Sevenis ruled in Rome. Under his reign, the Roman road was extended in 201 AD, which also passed through the Alta Valle Isarco valley. The stone was found in the new town of Vipiteno in 1979 during renovation works. In addition to these special features, the first floor of the Vipiteno Town Hall also exhibits a Crucifixion Group from the 17th century, the city coat of arms from the same period and two epitaphs (tombs). And how to reach the town hall? It is located in the heart of the old town, a short walk from the famous Tower of the Twelve and the Piazza Città square. Parking possibilities are available around the town centre.