The best cycling routes around Ratschings - Racines

Beautiful tower in the middle of the city / Visits possible at least temporarily.

The Twelve Tower was built between 1468 and 1472 above the town's main entrance and served as the upper town gate, at a time when the nearby silver mine in Ridnaun brought prosperity to the region and Sterzing experienced its rise as a Fugger town. Two marble plaques above the archway still commemorate the laying of the foundation stone by Duke Sigismund of Austria in 1469. In 1867, the Gothic spire burned down and was subsequently replaced by the current stone stepped gable.

From here you have a beautiful view of the Ridnaun Valley.

Opening hours, admission prices and further information about the Mining Museum can be found here: https://www.bergbaumuseum.it/de/ridnaun/preise-oeffnungszeiten-1009.html#content

Very nice cycle path with a great panorama of the mountains.

Profile of what was once the world's largest surface ore conveyor system on rails on the Schneeberg. The system was built in the 1870s by the Imperial and Royal Mining Administration and served to transport silver, lead, and zinc ore from the mines on the Schneeberg to the train station in Sterzing. The total length was 27.249 km, with an elevation difference of approximately 1,900 m to overcome. This required the construction of two "water barrel elevators" and six "brake hills" on which the ore was pulled up over the steepest slopes and braked down. Transport only worked with a counterweight, with the elevators using water barrels, while the brake hills were used to load counter-cargo, primarily food or other consumables needed on the Schneeberg. "Flat roller tracks" led from one brake hill to the next. These are almost level tracks on which horses pulled the ore wagons. Massive ore boxes were built at ingenious locations along the line for temporary storage of the ore. This meant that only parts of the entire transport system could be operated, depending on the season. The abandoned system today represents a unique monument and is still clearly visible from Seemoos to Mareit. Before the construction of the described system, ore was transported for centuries by pack animals and wagons, later by cable cars and trucks. The entire surface conveyor system was constructed in impressive dry-stone masonry and was in operation until around 1925. Only the Seemoos water barrel elevator remained in operation until 1967.

Profile of what was once the world's largest surface ore conveyor system on rails on the Schneeberg. The system was built in the 1870s by the Imperial and Royal Mining Administration and served to transport silver, lead, and zinc ore from the mines on the Schneeberg to the train station in Sterzing. The total length was 27.249 km, with an elevation difference of approximately 1,900 m to overcome. This required the construction of two "water barrel elevators" and six "brake hills" on which the ore was pulled up over the steepest slopes and braked down. Transport only worked with a counterweight, with the elevators using water barrels, while the brake hills were used to load counter-cargo, primarily food or other consumables needed on the Schneeberg. "Flat roller tracks" led from one brake hill to the next. These are almost level tracks on which horses pulled the ore wagons. Massive ore boxes were built at ingenious locations along the line for temporary storage of the ore. This meant that only parts of the entire transport system could be operated, depending on the season. The abandoned system today represents a unique monument and is still clearly visible from Seemoos to Mareit. Before the construction of the described system, ore was transported for centuries by pack animals and wagons, later by cable cars and trucks. The entire surface conveyor system was constructed in impressive dry-stone masonry and was in operation until around 1925. Only the Seemoos water barrel elevator remained in operation until 1967.

The Moarerbergalm, at 2,113 meters, is one of the largest alpine farms in Vipiteno-Ratschings. The alpine pasture produces grey cheese and butter, as well as various other dairy products such as yogurt, cream cheese, and buttermilk. The pasture was named "South Tyrol's Most Popular Alpine Hut" in 2021.