Monzoccolo, castles, and chestnuts: between Cologna’s “Pork Castle” and St. Martin’s Path
Countless cranberries must have grown here in the past: "Glan", a word still used today in the Val Passiria, means nothing other than cranberry. Cologna (Glaning) is, therefore, the "place of cranberries". You can still find the dwarf shrubs with the bright red berries in the surrounding forests or as jam on Strauben pancakes at the San Genesio Schupfen Festival.
The former pilgrimage site of Cologna, however, is better known for its panoramic location on the southern slope of the Monzoccolo. From here, your gaze sweeps across the Bolzano basin. On the edge of the village sits the charming Church of St. Martin, guarded by mighty chestnut trees. A particularly large number of these trees grow in the surrounding area. The sweet chestnuts are harvested and served in autumn during the Toerggelen. Roasted and served with butter that melts on the hot chestnuts, they perfectly complement the Toerggele afternoons and evenings.
A themed path is dedicated to Cologna's patron saint, St. Martin: the child-friendly and nature-focused St. Martin's Path. Along this path and the Castelronda Castle Path, it's worth making a detour to the ruins of Grifo Castle, the "Pork Castle". The name comes from a legend.
During the second siege by Frederick IV, Duke of Austria and born in 1382, the besieged resorted to a trick in their desperation: They threw their last provisions, a pig, down from the castle. The besiegers, thinking the defenders still had ample supplies if they were so wasteful, then withdrew.
