02.02.2019

or how the Ritten became a summer resort

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Our guests have known and appreciated the Ritten for quite some time. Holidays in the heart of South Tyrol with breathtaking views of the Dolomites and plenty of healthy fresh air that allows you to forget the daily humdrum and let body, mind and soul relax – that’s how we know and love our local mountain. It might be a lesser-known fact that the Ritten served as a summer retreat for the wealthier residents of Bolzano as far back as the 17th century. The 29th of June of every year, on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, one would round up kith and kin and flee the scorching Bolzano basin for the fresh and sunny plateau of the Ritten. A few centuries later, the inauguration of the cog railway on August 13th 1907 further eased the journey for the ladies of the local gentry and their families; all the more so, as the train would depart from the very central Waltherplatz and ascend to the village of Maria Himmelfahrt/Maria Assunta, where in the course of time many summer residences were built. The unfortunate husbands, obliged to go after their businesses in the city, could only join their families on the weekends. In the older days summer vacations where somewhat longer than today; many historical texts speak of 72 days which usually started at the end of June and extended into mid September. Sadly, we can only dream of such lengthy holidays today.