La mountain in this period synonymous with markets, snow, skiing, sledding and mulled wine and hot chocolate! But the mountain can be much more, especially if the chosen destination is Brunico, in the heart of the wonderful Val Pusteria.
Arriving in this wonderful place, in fact, you cannot fail to notice the castle overlooking the city and which, at nightfall, acquires a particular charm thanks to the play of light that enhances all its beauty.
Probably few know that this splendid bishop's palace, until a few years ago, housed the village school until, in 2004, it was bought by the Savings Bank Foundation who transformed it into the fifth museum of the mountain, MMM Ripa, thanks to the idea of Reinhold Messner: from 2011, therefore, the castle became the seat dedicated to the peoples who live in the mountains, in fact the name Ripa derives from the Tibetan “ri” which means mountain and “pa” which means man. Here you will find photos, objects, artifacts and even original tents from Nepal, Mongolia, the African mountains.
Last summer, gods were hosted for about a month Tibetan monks who shared their lifestyle and, above all, their cuisine with visitors, offering traditional and characteristic dishes from their homeland. They also made a wonderful mandala of colored sand which, upon their departure, was destroyed as a thank you and good wishes.
Currently the museum-castle it is closed but will reopen on December 26th and will remain open until April 25th 2013 from 12.00 to 18.00, with weekly closing on Tuesdays. It is definitely an ideal destination for families (children, in particular, cannot fail to be fascinated) who, at prices designed specifically for the little ones, can take advantage of the Family Card at a cost of 18 euros; the price for a single ticket for adults is instead 8 €, while the children pay 3 €.
A tip, reach the castle on foot! It is a walk of about ten minutes in which, surrounded by greenery, from the city center you will reach the entrance to the museum. And maybe, in winter, the descent can be accompanied and enlivened by an excellent mulled wine or a apple juice at the Christmas Market.
