Molini is a small hamlet in the municipal area of Falzes behind which rises the tower of Schöneck Castle, today a legendary ruin
Image gallery: Molini di Falzes
Molini (Mühlen in German, literally: Mills) is about the same distance away as Issengo from the Issengo Pond, the bathing lake that is part of the summer activities on offer here on the Val Pusteria Sun Road. There are a few houses along the road and the Rio Molini stream that make up this small village. As in Issengo, you stay below the 1,000 m mark. The bus runs between Molini and Lake Issengo, but the 2-minute ride can easily be replaced by a short walk.
Behind the houses, Schöneck Castle peeks out from between the trees. It was once the ancestral seat of the Lords of Rodengo, today legends and stories tell about it. Some are somewhat fabulous, another seems to be quite close to the truth: It is said that the minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein was born here in 1376/77. There is no written proof of this, but his father, Friedrich von Wolkenstein, was the caretaker of the medieval complex during these years. Today, the castle keep, the outer ward and the wall are still preserved and were secured in the last few years. Remains of a fresco from the workshop of Michael Pacher can be seen in the castle chapel.
Molini also has its own natural monument, a columnar spruce or hanging spruce (Picea Excelsa) near Schöneck. It really seems to stand like a column with branches pointing downwards among the trees. From the viewing platform you can catch a glimpse of the 25 m tall tree, which is about 85 years old and is the slimmest spruce ever seen in South Tyrol. The reason for this strange growth is the snow loads in winter. If you want to explore the surroundings of Molini and Falzes, the path from Molini to Schöneck Castle, Navale della Lepre, Pfaffensteig, Falzes village and then Irenberg is ideal for this. From Chienes you can then return by the means of local public transport.
