Chiusa

Chiusa, or Klausen as referred to in German, is a small village housing about 5000 inhabitants within its premises and just 500 in its historical centre. Located about 30 km north-east of Bolzano, not only is it well connected by train, but there is also a convenient cycling road on a separate track leading all the way to Chiusa and beyond. Klausen was a renowned gathering point for artists at the end of the 18th century, but already some centuries before, it was a known hamlet, visited and pictured by Albrecht Dürer among many others. Nowadays, a short walk leads to the place where the famous artist sat to draw the village. The historical centre of Chiusa is really picturesque with medieval buildings, towers and the Isarco River passing through it.
The Civic Museum hosts interesting artwork, the most famous being the ‘Treasure of Loreto’, which is a collection of religious pieces. The Capuchin Church is another point of interest in this small medieval village. Overlooking the main hamlet is the Säben Abbey, built on top of a cliff and inhabited by Benedictine nuns (part of the residence is open to visitors on a regular basis).