San Leonardo in Passiria
The Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol
The Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol is the northernmost province in Italy and is located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. It covers an area of 7,400 km² and has a population of approximately 533,175. It is culturally and linguistically linked to Tyrol in Austria and shares the geographic area of the Triveneto with the Autonomous Province of Trento and Veneto.
Toponymy
The official name of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol is "province of Bolzano" or "Autonomous Province of Bolzano" in Italian, and "Provinz Bozen" or "Autonome Provinz Bozen" in German, as stated in the special statute of the region in 1972 and subsequent state implementing laws. According to article 116 of the Italian Constitution, as amended in 2001, it is also known as "Alto Adige/Südtirol".
The entity uses the double denomination "Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol" (officially translated in German as "Autonome Provinz Bozen - Südtirol") in all its acts. The inhabitants of the province are generally known as Alto Adige people. In Italian, it is also possible to use the designations "Sud Tirolo", "Sudtirolo" or "Tirolo del sud" for the province of Bolzano and "sudtirolesi" for its German or Ladin-speaking inhabitants.
Ladin
The Ladin form of the name is not included in the autonomy statute or other national laws, but it is commonly rendered in official provincial documents as "Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan - Südtirol" (in the Badia dialect) or "Provinzia Autonoma de Bulsan - Südtirol" (in the Gardena dialect).
Austro-Hungarian rule and the term "Südtirol"
During Austro-Hungarian rule, the territory of present-day Bolzano province was known as "Mitteltirol," or Central Tyrol, while "Südtirol," or South Tyrol, referred to present-day Trentino or the entire southern part of Tyrol (essentially Trentino-Alto Adige). Therefore, according to some authors, using the term "Südtirol" to refer to the area between Brennero and Salorno would be unjustified. However, in the Treaty of London of 1915, article 4 specifically referred to "Trentino" and "Cisalpine Tyrol" (south of Brennero) separately.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol is the largest province in Italy and represents a region characterized by social and cultural ties to Tyrol in Austria and the other Triveneto regions. Its official designation is the double naming "Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol," and its inhabitants are generally known as Alto Adige people, although "Sud Tirolo" can also be used.
