The old path of Aldein

The path from Aldein to Branzoll was till 1958 the only connection to the world. The path is marked with the number 6, is 9 km long and has a difference in attitude of about
1000m.

Through the years, it was transferred in different places for several times. Till 200 years ago the path went rather steep downwards, till the guest house:”Kössler.” The path was built downwards on the right mountain side –Winkler Brücke-and the guest house:” Halbweg.” Beneath the well the way went very steep down again till Branzoll.In 1874 the path was made on the left mountain side, they had to blast a 200 m long way into the rocks. A cross with the year 1974 reminds at the construction of this way.

When in those days, somebody needed medical help, one had to be pulled in a big basket called:”Penne”, the whole way down. Sometimes help came to late. During winter more than 2000 m³of wood had to be brought in the valley. So it happened that on many days more than 40 pairs of oxen and horse and carts were on their way along the path.

The museum association of Aldein erected four new crosses along the way. Four crosses, cause two men and two women didn´t survive the way till Aldein. It was Franziska Pernter, Simon Franzelin, Maria Daum and Michael Niederstätter, butcher and veterinary surgeon. One night he went up the path to Aldein but he fell down the mountain two km above Branzoll. The next day when he was found, he was still alive but he died on 6^th February in the hospital of Bozen. In both world wars, 74 young men, 35 in the first one and 39 in the second one, went the way down for the last time but never came back.