At the source of it

Brixen’s unique relationship with water

Brixen has water running through its veins. Quite literally, as the Eisack and Rienz rivers meet in the town. Locals have been drawing water for drinking and domestic use from the Eisack river since the early 16th century. And it wasn’t long before they discovered the first springs in Vahrn and on the Plose. Today, with its 48 drinking fountains, Brixen is like an open-air museum dedicated to water. One of the most interesting of these is a small, modern fountain hidden away beneath the Nepomuk archway in Adlerbrückengasse. The fountain marks the exact spot where a staircase for Brixen’s washerwomen once led down to the Eisack river. So where Brixen’s women once washed their clothes, visitors to the town can now fill their drinks bottles with healthy drinking water.

The “blue gold” – as locals affectionately call their water – is omnipresent in Brixen and its people are proud of this precious resource. In recognition of this, the Brixen Water Light Festival is held in Brixen and the surrounding area every May. Artists from near and far create immersive light installations at various water features around the town, providing illuminating insights into the world of water.