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Trentino is a curious Region of Italy because
culturally and socially it's not quite all
Italian. The southern part is
Italian-speaking, but the northern reaches -
also known as the South Tyrol - is
largely German-speaking. This is not
surprising because the Austrians
controlled Northern Italy for centuries, and the
Region was only annexed to Italy in 1919, as
part of the
Treaty of Saint-Germain
together with the
Treaty of Versailles
which reshaped Europe in the aftermath of
World War I.
From 1919 to 1947 it was known as
Venezia-Tridentina.
Though the capital city of the Region is
Trento, the Regional Parliament changes its
seat on a biennial basis to the provincial
capitals of the two provinces, which, as a
result, have the de facto status of
independent and autonomous regions in Italy.
Situated in the southern Alps in the Dolomite
range, Trentino is bordered on the north by
Austria, which is accessible through the
Brenner Pass. To the south west lies
the Italian Region of
Lombardy (Lombardia);
to the south east
Veneto.
It
comes as no surprise, given Trentino-Alto
Adige's location and largely mountainous
terrain, that travelers and tourists have beaten
a path to the area for centuries. A
seemingly pastoral and bucolic place, the air
has oft been pierced by the shrill, exciting,
dangerous cacophony of war, as bristling armies
have moved through the Brenner Pass on their way
to do battle in Italy or the northern parts of
Europe as the case may be.
The
Ligurians,
Celts,
Etruscans,
Romans, the
Goths, the
Longobards (Lombards), the Emperors of the
Holy Roman Empire and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire,
Napoleon and the Nazis, have all made their
way through Trentino (sometimes settling here),
and all have eventually retreated, mostly
defeated, back through the area, sometimes
causing great calamities locally as they fought
their rearguard actions.
But now, of course, there is peace and with
peace, prosperity. Indeed, Trentino-Alto Adige
is one of the richest areas in all of Italy.
In the fertile valleys of the south one finds
vineyards, olive groves, orchards, dairy farms,
from which wine, olive oil, fruit, tobacco and
dairy products are produced for local
consumption and export. In the northern
area, there is a sizeable forest industry, along
with pulp and paper production.
Hydroelectric power, used for aluminum and
chemical production, is transmitted South and
North. In the Alpine stretches,
particularly in the Val Gardena area,
skiing and other mountain sports, like hiking,
climbing and rappelling draw thousands of people
every year.
As
one travels north from the Italian part (60% of
the population), one finds more and more German
being spoken (35%). Scattered throughout
both regions however, there are other ethnic
groups (about 5%) who speak a difficult dialect
seeming to combine Celtic with Latin, called
Ladin. There is an interesting museum
in Vigo di Fassa that focuses on the
history of these people.
Most of the towns and some of the cities, many
of which have dual names - Italian and German -
maintain a steadfastly and immaculate medieval
aspect. There is modernity, of course, but
it is well-integrated with the old and the
ancient.
The traveler will encounter a few tribal ruins,
ruins of Roman forts, roads, river embankments,
and an array of town walls, churches,
palazzi and public and private buildings done in
every style from Romanesque, Gothic and
Renaissance to ultra modern. The cuisine,
ranging from Italian to German, is robust,
hearty and delicious. The hotels, inns,
campgrounds, and hostels are well clean,
well-managed, and sometimes, architecturally,
and by location, incredibly beautiful. And
the landscape and scenery- well, breathtaking.
Best time to travel to Trentino? Almost
anytime, spring, summer, winter or fall.
There is considerable traffic through the area
in summer, and in "ski country" during the
winter. But, it's always busy with the
purposeful activity of those who live in the
Region, and with the people who come to
envy them. |
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