Selva dei Molini
Welcome to South Tyrol - Trentino
Hello friends! Today I want to talk to you about a very particular province: the autonomous province of Bolzano - South Tyrol, located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. With its 533,175 inhabitants and an area of 7,431 km², this province is the largest and northernmost of Italy.
A territory with double denominations
The autonomous province of Bolzano - South Tyrol is a territory with multiple names. In fact, depending on the language and context, it can be called in different ways: "province of Bolzano" or "autonomous province of Bolzano" (in Italian), "Provinz Bozen" or "Autonome Provinz Bozen" (in German), "Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan /Bulsan – Südtirol" (in Ladin).
The entity officially uses the double name "autonomous province of Bolzano - South Tyrol" (translated into German as "Autonome Provinz Bozen - Südtirol"), but the inhabitants of the province are known as Alto-Adigians. In Italian, it is also possible to use the terms "South Tyrol", "Sudtirolo" or "Tirolo del sud" to refer to the province of Bolzano, while "Sudtirolesi" indicates its German or Ladin-speaking inhabitants.
Historical curiosities
During the Habsburg era, today's province of Bolzano was known as "Mitteltirol" (Central Tyrol), while "Südtirol" (South Tyrol) referred to the current Trentino or the entire southern part of Tyrol, which included Trentino-Alto Adige. In addition, the term "Südtirol" currently used to indicate the territory between Brenner and Salorno would be unjustified, according to some authors.
However, in the Pact of London of 1915, art. 4 explicitly spoke of "Trentino" and "Tirolo cisalpino", thus distinguishing Trentino from "Südtirol" (today's South Tyrol).
Belonging to the Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino Euroregion
The autonomous province of Bolzano - South Tyrol, together with the autonomous province of Trento and Austrian Tyrol, constitutes the Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino Euroregion. This area corresponds to Tyrol and represents a cultural and linguistic connection in this particular region of Italy. In addition, the province is part of the Triveneto, together with Trentino, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Conclusions
The autonomous province of Bolzano - South Tyrol is a territory with double denominations and a very interesting history. With its enchanting landscapes, cities rich in history, and multilingual culture, this territory represents a much-coveted tourist destination. I hope you enjoyed this brief guide and that you will soon be able to visit the wonderful autonomous province of Bolzano - South Tyrol!
