Ridnaun - Ridanna

Surrounded by the enchanting mountain world of the Stubai Alps, Ridnaun is situated in a quiet and dreamy location in the Ridnaun valley of the same name and offers visitors, thanks to its seclusion, lonely nature experiences and relaxing days.

Ridnaun is surrounded by wide, lush meadows and is situated in a quiet location between the Aggls-Rosskopf ridge in the north and the mountain massif of Jaufen in the south. The village is situated in the valley of the same name, 18 kilometres long and branching off in a north-western direction, which flows into the Valle Isarco valley near Sterzing at an altitude of 1,342 metres. 
Maria Fassnauer is one of the most famous personalities from Ridnaun. With a height of 2.28 m, the woman was known as the "Ridnauner Riesin" (giantess from Ridnaun) far beyond the borders of Germany and in 1900 she appeared as a circus and variety show attraction all over Europe. 

For more than 800 years, the history of this small town has been determined by lead, zinc and silver mining on the Schneeberg. Behind the former mine, which long ago belonged to one of the long-serving and highest mines in the entire Alpine region, the rugged, steep rock faces of the Stubai Alps rise at the end of the valley. Traces of the rich mining history can still be found in the South Tyrolean mining museum in Maiern.
Today, the small village of Ridnaun offers numerous opportunities to explore the untouched and wild natural landscapes of this region, both in summer and winter. Exciting tours lead you to impressive waterfalls and small streams winding down the mountain slopes. The many rustic mountain huts in the rear Ridnaun valley are a popular destination for hikers in the summer months and serve as a base for mountaineers on more demanding tours to one of the numerous peaks around the Übeltalferner, South Tyrol's largest glacier. In winter Ridnaun is mainly visited by cross-country skiers and biathletes. In the valley there is a modern biathlon centre, which was the venue of the European Biathlon Championships in 2011.