The South Tyrolean Unterland or Bozen Unterland (Bozner Unterland) is a section of the Etschtal

Etschtal

The Etschtal is the name given to that part of alpine valley of the Adige in Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy, which stretches from Merano to Bolzano and from Salurn to Rovereto. It is also sometimes used to define the whole river valley, up to its entrance into the Padan Plain.South of Rovereto, the...

 between Bolzano (or Bozen), Salorno

Salorno

Salorno is the southernmost comune of the Überetsch-Unterland district in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.-Geography:As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,160 and an area of 33.2 km²....

 (or Salurn) and Tramin

Tramin an der Weinstraße

Tramin an der Weinstraße is a comune in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about 35 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 20 km southwest of the city of Bolzano. The name of the grape variety Gewürztraminer Tramin an der Weinstraße is a comune (municipality) in South Tyrol,...

. It is known internationally for its wine and the South Tyrolean Wine Road runs through the valley. It is the region where the Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...

 grape originated.

The region should not be confused with the Tyrolean Unterland

Tyrolean Unterland

The Tyrolean Unterland is that part of the Austrian state of Tyrol east of its capital city, Innsbruck, excluding East Tyrol.- Extent and language :...

 in Austria.

The Unterland is crossed by the River Etsch, the Brenner Autobahn and the Brenner Railway

Brenner railway

The Brenner Railway is a major line connecting the Austrian and Italian railways from Innsbruck and Verona climbing the Wipptal , passing over the Brenner Pass and descending down the Eisack Valley to Bolzano and then down the Adige Valley from Bolzano to Rovereto and from there along the...

. The most important town of the region is Neumarkt. Its largest settlement is Laives

Laives

Laives is a town and a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 8 km south of the city of Bolzano.-Coat-of-arms:...

.

The municipalities of the South Tyrolean Unterland are Aldein

Aldein

Aldein is a Gemeinde in South Tyrol in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 40 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 15 km south of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...

, Altrei

Altrei

Altrei is a Gemeinde in South Tyrol in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 30 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 25 km south of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...

, Auer, Branzoll, Kurtatsch

Kurtatsch an der Weinstraße

Kurtatsch an der Weinstraße is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 30 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 25 km southwest of the city of Bolzano....

, Kurtinig

Kurtinig an der Weinstraße

Kurtinig an der Weinstraße is a comune in the province of South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 25 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 30 km southwest of the city of Bolzano....

, Laives

Laives

Laives is a town and a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 8 km south of the city of Bolzano.-Coat-of-arms:...

, Margreid

Margreid an der Weinstraße

Margreid an der Weinstraße is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 25 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 25 km southwest of the city of Bolzano ....

, Montan

Montan

Montan is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 35 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 20 km south of the city of Bolzano .-Geography:...

, Neumarkt, Salorno

Salorno

Salorno is the southernmost comune of the Überetsch-Unterland district in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.-Geography:As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,160 and an area of 33.2 km²....

, Tramin

Tramin an der Weinstraße

Tramin an der Weinstraße is a comune in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about 35 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 20 km southwest of the city of Bolzano. The name of the grape variety Gewürztraminer Tramin an der Weinstraße is a comune (municipality) in South Tyrol,...

, Truden

Truden

Truden im Naturpark is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 35 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 20 km south of the city of Bolzano...

, and Vadena

Vadena

Vadena is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 40 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 10 km southwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...

.

History

Between 1921 and 1948 the entire Unterland belonged to Trentino. The Fascist regime in Italy decided to force the so-called mixed-language regions to be Italianised. On 30 May 1946 on the hill of Castelfeder a protest rally was organised by the South Tyrolean People's Party

South Tyrolean People's Party

The South Tyrolean People's Party is a regionalist Christian democratic political party active in the Italian province of South Tyrol.Founded in 1945, the SVP represents the German-speaking population of the province, as well as Ladin speakers. Since the first election of the Provincial Council in...

 demanding the return of the Unterland to South Tyrol

South Tyrol

South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...

.

Sources

• Südtiroler Kulturinstitut (publ.): Das Südtiroler Unterland, Bozen: Athesia 1980.
• Erich Egg: Kunst im Südtiroler Unterland, Bozen ²1991.