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3) A dry chapter – the Ritten consists of porphyr. This stone is very jointed. Since ice age there was few decomposition crumb in South Tyrol, that is needed to absorb rain water in chtonic reservoirs, therefore all the rain water flows off and is lost forever for the Ritten.
4) Fascinating coming and going – on the Ritten you will see many earth pyramids that are unique in their height and beautiful form compared to others in
Europe
. They emerge trough erosion from the soil and are quickly doomed.
5) Silent witnesses of geology – reason for the evolution of the earth pyramids is to be found in the nature and earth history. In the late ice age moraine clay deposits formed 15 m high walls with big stones in it and the earth pyramids were in the very sense of the word washed out of this wall.
6) The magenta stone – the Ritten is located geologically in the area of the quartz porphyry. The quartz porphyry is a very hard stone. Its appearance is different, mostly red, therefore its name. The middle age word porphyreum means purple or magenta.
7) Honour to St Georg and St James – the ancient chapel in Oberbozen was firstly mentioned in 1289. There is not much left from that time though, just the walls and the apse. In the 17 century the barrel vault was erected and also the windows. You can ask the key for this little chapel at the Tourism Information Centre in Oberbozen at the train station (Tel.: +39 0471 345245)
8) A historical train – 1905 was decided in the council of Bozen that a rack railway should be built from Bozen to Ritten. 1906 the construction of the rack railway began under Riehl Constructions Concern and was ended after 18 months.
9) Escape the summer heat – 500 years ago the summer resort Ritten was discovered. The patrician families of Bozen came to Ritten in the summer to escape from the heat in the valley in Bozen. They have had their locations in Maria Himmelfahrt, Oberbozen, Lengmoos and Klobenstein since than, and are wonderful constructions witnessing that glorious time.
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