Colle Isarco is Henrik Ibsen’s beloved mountain retreat in South Tyrol - his photos, letters and postcards are exhibited in the town hall
Image gallery: Colle Isarco
Traffic information: The Luegbrücke bridge on the Brennero Pass, along the A13 Brennero Motorway, will be rebuilt starting at the end of March 2025. For traffic safety and to reduce strain on the bridge, single-lane… read more
Just ten kilometres south of the Brennero Pass lies Colle Isarco, the main village in the municipality of Brennero. This charming village centres around the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Ibsen Square. In winter, an ice skating rink entices visitors right in the village centre, while a small outdoor pool offers refreshment in summer.
From the square, streets like Via Mulino (literally: Mill Road), Via Posta Vecchia (Old Post Road), e Via Fienili (Hay Barn Road) branch off - their names echoing times gone by. Colle Isarco is a hub for train and bus connections, and travellers have been passing through here for 4,000 years. During Roman times, the Upper Valle Isarco boasted roadside stations, and in the Middle Ages, a silver and lead mine thrived in the Fleres Valley. The village likely owes its German name, Gossensass, to this mining history: "Gotzen" meaning "miners" and "Sass" meaning "seat".
In the 20th century, alongside Merano, Colle Isarco became one of Tyrol's most important health resorts, while the nearby Terme di Brennero utilised its healing springs for baths and drinking cures. The most famous visitor was Henrik Ibsen. The Norwegian writer enjoyed strolling along the village stream, earning him the nickname "Bachmandl" (little stream man) from the locals.
Colle Isarco even finds mention in Ibsen's 1890 play "Hedda Gabler". Today, the Henrik Ibsen Documentation Centre in the town hall is dedicated to him. Branching off from Colle Isarco is the Val di Fleres, an ideal destination for hikers, those seeking tranquillity, and winter sports enthusiasts. It's also home to Ladurns, one of the three skiing areas in the Upper Valle Isarco.
