The Vinschgau, Vintschgau () or Vinschgau Valley ( it, Val Venosta ; rm, Vnuost ; lld, Val Venuesta; medieval toponym: ''Finsgowe'') is the upper part of the Adige or Etsch river valley, in the western part of the province of

South Tyrol it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol , settlement_type = Autonomous province , image_skyline = , image_alt ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Etymology

The

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

name ''Vinschgau'', like Italian ''Val Venosta'', is derived from the

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...

(

Rhaetian The Rhaetian is the latest age of the Triassic Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage of the Triassic System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the Norian and succeeded by the Hettangian (the lowermost stage or earliest age ...

) Venostes tribes mentioned on the ancient Tropaeum Alpium. A

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages * Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany * East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...

'' Gau'' was established under

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

in 772; it was first mentioned in a 1077 deed, when King Henry IV of Germany granted the estates of Schlanders ''in pago Finsgowe'' to Bishop Altwin of

Brixen Brixen (, ; it, Bressanone ; lld, Porsenù or ) is a town in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano. Geography First mentioned in 901, Brixen is the third largest city and oldest town in the province, and the artistic and ...

Geography

The Vinschgau ValleyAllgemeiner historischer Handatlas, Gustav Droysen runs in a west-east orientation, from the

Merano Merano (, , ) or Meran () is a city and ''comune'' in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeier V ...

basin at Partschins up the Adige river to Reschen Pass in the northwest. The

Ötztal Alps The Ötztal Alps ( it, Alpi Venoste, german: Ötztaler Alpen) are a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps, in the State of Tyrol in western Austria and the Province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. Geography The Ötztal Alps are arrayed at ...

in the north, part of the Alpine crest, separate it from the upper

Inn Valley , image = UnterinntalWest.JPG , image_caption = Lower Inn valley from Rattenberg castle , source1_location = Swiss Alps (Lägh dal Lunghin) , source1_elevation = , source1_coordinates= , mouth_location = Danube (Passau) , mo ...

. The Adige valley is further confined by the

Sesvenna Alps The Sesvenna Alps are a mountain range located in the Alps of eastern Switzerland, northern Italy and western Austria. Geography Sesvenna Alps are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps. Their high dolomitic peaks overlook Scuol in th ...

in the west and the

Ortler Alps The Ortler Alps ( it, Ortles-Cevedale ; german: Ortler-Alpen; rm, Alps da l'Ortler) are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps mountain group in the Central Eastern Alps, in Italy and Switzerland. Geography The Ortler Alps are separated ...

in the south. It comprises several side valleys, such as the

Suldental The Suldental ( it, Val di Solda; german: Suldental) is a side valley of the Trafoi Valley in South Tyrol, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is locat ...

, the

Matscher Tal The Matscher Tal (also german: Matschertal; it, Val di Mazia ) is a side valley of the Vinschgau in South Tyrol, Italy. It is part of the municipality of Mals Mals (; it, Malles Venosta ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in norther ...

, or the

Schnalstal The Schnalstal ( it, Val Senales) is a side valley of the Vinschgau in the autonomous province of South Tyrol, Italy. It belongs almost in its entirety to the municipality of Schnals, while small parts in the entrance area lie in Naturns und Kaste ...

. Due to the insular location within the Central Eastern Alps, a rather warm climate and a lack of rain (400mm per year), fields, meadows and

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

orchards are irrigated.

Viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...

is also common. According to the 2001 census, 96.51% of the population of the valley speak German, 3.41% Italian and 0.08%

Ladin Ladin may refer to: * Ladin language, a language in northern Italy, often classified as a Rhaeto-Romance language *Ladin people, the inhabitants of the Dolomite Alps region of northern Italy See also *Laden (disambiguation) * Ladino (disambigua ...

as first language.Bevölkerung und soziales Leben, Statistisches Jahrbuch 2006
p. 120, tab. 3.19

Subdivision

The Vinschgau District ( it, Comprensorio della Val Venosta; german: Bezirksgemeinschaft Vinschgau) was established in 1962. The district covers the largest part of the Vinschgau region and its side valleys, in which 13 municipalities cooperate: Comuni val venosta-gemeinden vinschgau

Kastelbell-Tschars Kastelbell-Tschars (; it, Castelbello-Ciardes ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 2,387 and an area of .All demographics ...

(''Castelbello-Ciardes'') # Graun im Vinschgau (''Curon Venosta'') #

Glurns Glurns (; it, Glorenza ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 876 and an area of .All demographics and other statistics: I ...

(''Glorenza'') # Latsch (''Laces'') # Laas (''Lasa'') # Mals (''Malles Venosta'') # Martell (''Martello'') #

Prad am Stilfser Joch Prad am Stilfser Joch (; it, Prato allo Stelvio ), often abbreviated to Prad, is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about west of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Switzerland, and near the Stelvio Pass. ...

(''Prato allo Stelvio'') # Schlanders (''Silandro'') #

Schluderns Schluderns (; it, Sluderno ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 1,831 and an area of .All demographics and other statisti ...

(''Sluderno'') # Schnals (''Senales'') #

Stilfs Stilfs (; it, Stelvio ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. It is located near the northern ramp of the Stelvio Pass. The municipality of Stilfs contains the ''frazioni'' (subdivisions, mainly villages ...

(''Stelvio'') # Taufers im Münstertal (''Tubre'') The municipalities of

Naturns Naturns (; it, Naturno ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northwest of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of 31 December 2015, it had a population of 5,739 and an area of .All demogra ...

(''Naturno''),

Plaus Plaus (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about north-west of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 683 and an area of .All demographics and other statistics: Itali ...

and Partschins (''Parcines'') geographically belong to the lower Vinschgau region, though politically they are affiliated with the neighbouring

Burggrafenamt The Burggrafenamt ( it, Burgraviato , german: Burggrafenamt) is a district ( it, comprensorio, german: Bezirksgemeinschaft) in the western part of the Italian province of South Tyrol. It comprises the part of the Adige river valley between Naturns ...

district.

References

External links

*
Vinschgau District
{{Authority control Districts of South Tyrol