Rifiano is the centre of the municipality and represents a famous pilgrimage site
Image gallery: Rifiano village
The village of Rifiano is located at 504 m a.s.l. and has about 1,400 inhabitants. It is the centre of the homonymous municipality, located only a stone's throw from Merano on a sunny terrace above the valley entrance of the Val Passiria.
The most attractive sight of Rifiano is its pilgrimage church. According to a legend in the Passirio river gorge a picture with miraculous powers was found, which still today, together with a stucco sculpture, adorns the interior of the above mentioned church. The sacred building dates back to 1671 and was constructed by the master Franz Delai. The Baroque high altar by Bartlmen Grätl is by the way one of the most beautiful of Tyrol. Remarkable are also the Gothic frescoes dating back to 1425, decorating the pilgrimage chapel. Stations of the via Crucis line the way to the church.
A further sight in the village, testifying the early existence of Rifiano, is the ancient settlement of Postal dating back to the late Ice Age. You can for instance visit the central manor house. Guided tours are organised by the Archaeologic Museum of Bolzano.
