The Saint Joseph parish church is one of the most beautiful and modern churches in the entire Alpine region, and is an example of contemporary architecture. The church was built according to the plans of the famous architect Dr. Wily Gutweniger during 1966 – 1971. It is a good reflection of how to combine the new with the old. It is important that visitors take some time to understand the rich penetrare symbolic language of this place of worship. The consecration of the church took place on 13th March 1977 by Dr. Josef Gargitter, who was then the bishop of the diocese. Written and photographic expressions about the church are available at the parsonage, as well as in the tourist board office.

The gardens of Castle Trauttmansdorff at the eastern edge of Meran should not be missed. They are lined by an oak tree forest and stretch over more than 12 hectares of land. In this vast area, you will find plants from every part of the world, as well as typical South Tyrolean landscapes. Walking paths runs through the water and terrace gardens along the slope, lead you through the ‘garden of senses’ or the Japanese garden, the cacti and succulent hill or to the cultural plants of the south. The aviary and the grotto, together with a multi-media show round off your visit.

More than 5,000 years ago, a man came from the freezing heights of the Schnals Valley glacier. In 1991, he was found by accident, together with his clothing and weapons, mummified, frozen – an archaeological sensation and a unique reflection of a person from the Copper Age. Embedded in his historic framework, the ‘Ice-Man’, also called ‘Ötzi’, and his tools are of central importance. The extraordinary and world-famous glacier mummy from the Copper Age, as well as numerous, well-kept weapons, give some insight into the habitat of the people form the Early Stone Age. The country museum for Archaeology, which was founded in 1998, besides the findings of the ‘Ice-Man’, also documents the Early history of South Tyrol from the end of the last Ice Age (15,000 B.C.) to the times of Charles the Great (around 800 A.D.). The museum offers an exciting excursion into Alpine history. Models, reconstructions, videos and inter-active multimedia stations give an interesting insight into the past.