Abbazia di Novacella

Founded in 1142 at the wish of Bishop Hartmann of Bressanone and recognised the following year by Pope Innocent II, the Abbazia di Novacella stands a few minutes from Bressanone, in the hamlet of Varna, and is among South Tyrol's oldest Augustinian monastic complexes. Destroyed by fire in 1190 and rebuilt by 1198, it now holds Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Rococo styles, together with the famous Well of Wonders depicting the seven wonders of the ancient world. For centuries spiritual life has been intertwined with that of the winery, among the oldest still active in the world, which makes whites such as Sylvaner, Müller Thurgau and Gewürztraminer alongside reds such as Lagrein, Pinot Noir and Moscato Rosa. The complex can be visited with a guided tour or independently, through cloisters, library and the historic winemaking rooms.