Brixen city

Art, culture and history play and important role in the historic city centre of Brixen. Brixen is the oldest town in Tyrol. The first record of its existence dates back to 901 when mention was made of a place called “Prihsna”. In the years that followed, this early settlement gradually grew into a town; a local parish was established and construction work began on the cathedral and bishop’s palace, as well as the town walls which were completed in around 1150. For centuries, Brixen was an influential seat of the prince-bishops and acted as a bridge between Southern Germany and Upper Italy. The Renaissance left its mark, but it was the baroque period which really shaped the town and its architecture. Later, following the construction of the Brenner railway in 1867, Brixen became a flourishing spa town. Like many other places, Brixen experienced hard times during the First World War when it served as a garrison town and military hospital base. The subsequent arrival of Fascism and the Second World War brought further suffering to the town.

The cathedral in Brixen, the many listed sacred buildings, the large-scale medieval historic centre, the arcades and the narrow streets framed by merlons, museum treasures, craft tradition and archaeological exhibits wait to be discovered. Modern cafés and excellent restaurants as well as attractive shops and entertaining events make the historic centre of Brixen an individual experience.