After almost 15 years, the thatched roof had to undergo a restoration. In order to do that, we were looking and have fortunately found professional workers, who completed the job on April 2007. Some beams and rafters had to be replaced.
According to the tradition however, only one part of the roof has been covered with fresh straw. The rest will come later. Because this was the method also used by farmers, which hadn't enough fresh straw for the whole roof and therefore chose to always restore just a part of it.
Continuation Of Study For Teachers of elementary schools of the KSL, from South Tyrol in the Plattner Bienenhof
We are planning a new event for teachers in 2006. A complete unit for schools with the theme "Honeybee" and instructions how it could be used in all subjects is being prepared
Also on the 11th of April 2005 30 teachers were invited to visit the Plattner Bienenhof. This event was organized in collaboration with the catholic teacher organization from South Tyrol, the Katholischer Südtiroler Lehrerbund KSL, www.ksl.it. After a guided tour in the museum the participants were guided through the educational interactive trail round the Plattner Bienenhof. Materials for crafts and games on the theme of "Bees" were shown and demonstrated.
You can find the materials under the heading "Kinder Schule Bücher", so far only available in German.
2nd position in the category e-science
On Tuesday, the 12th December 2006, our website has been awarded in the category e-science with the second position. The honor was conferred on Robert Gramm, the owner of the museum, and received vicariously by Mrs. Viola Schultes and Mr. Harald Niederseer, the honorary co-workers for didactic means, in Mailand in the Chamber of Commerce, represented by Prof. Alfredo Ronchi from the Politecnics of Mailand.
This success is striking, because the site was completely made by honorary workers of the museum and has now been decorated together with renowned competitors like the museums of the Vatican or the General bureau of the Carabinieri. The jury emphasized beside the appealing design and the easy but efficient functionality, that this site is available not only in Italian but also in German and English, which for Italy is not standard.
This competition is the preliminary Italian competition for the World Summit Award of the UN. The Italian prize-winners will soon be presented at the Cebit in Hanover.
Beside Harald Niederseer (programmation - works as a teacher in the Franziskanergymnasium in Bozen) and Viola Schultes (text and translation) also Luca Mazzocchi, an amateurish bee-photographer, has part at this success, because of his impressing pictures of the bees' world.
Painting course in the Plattner Bienenhof
from the 11th up to15th july 2005
The Plattner Bienenhof organized (www.volkshochschule.it) a very special painting course in collaboration with the Urania Ritten. In five afternoons themes from the animal and vegetable life formed the starting-point for creative design by means of various artistic techniques. Everybody was invited to discover the artist and designer within them by means of perception and abstraction. Some of the works were exhibited in the museum during the period from 17th up to 31st July.
artistic expert: Horst Spitaler, free lancer, artist and art teacher, Eppan
(with the car or bus to Collalbo)
Kematen, Riggermoos, Lichtenstern, Bähnchen - Collalbo - Earth Pyramids of Finsterbachtal and back.
Distance: 8km, Duration: 3 hours
From the railway station of Collalbo, proceed towards the village of Collalbo and further on to the earth pyramids and Longomoso. Continue on the main street and after about one km in direction north, reach the path n.24 which will take you to the earth pyramids. On the same way you can, afterwards, go back to Longomoso and Collalbo. Variation: once you reached the earth pyramids continue on to Maria Saal, turn left at the creek and proceed on the blue-white hiking path n. 29 until you reach Kematen. Continue on on the "Oberinner Straße", passing by an ancient icon which is located on your left hand side. There is where the red-white hiking path n.5 starts. This path will take you to Lichtenstein, from where you can take the train to Collalbo.
(with the car, bus or train to Soprabolzano)
Distance: 12 km, Duration: 4 - 5 hours
Take the blue-white hiking path n.1 to go from Soprabolzano to Collalbo and enjoy the wonderful view on the Dolomites. Right above Collalbo, the path will end at "Pensione Belmonte-Schraffl". The way back starts with the blue-white hiking path n.8. From Hotel Lichtenstern, on the blue-white path n.1 and back to the starting point.
The outward and return journey can be made with the traditional "Rittner Bahndl", which brings you each hour (generally 5 past half starting from Soprabolzano and at the full hour from Collalbo), from 7.00 am to 7.35 pm (during summer months to 8.35 om) from Soprabolzano to Collalbo. Check the current timetable on SAD.it.
(with the car or cable car to Soprabolzano)
Distance: 5km, Duration: 1.5 hours (wonderful excursion, suitable for everyone)
Maria Assunta has been a popular summer resort for many different wealthy families and is composed by the western final stop of the Renon railway, the ancient shooting range, the little church dated back 1668, the three years older church of St. Magdalena, the chapel of Mara-Einsiedeln as well as the comfortable inn "Gasthof Schluff".
Once you reached the commercial centre "Marlen" continue on the blue-white path n. 4 through the cool forest. Turn left and you will reach "Merltennen", a wooden pavillion featuring a wonderful view on Bolzano. On your way back to Soprabolzano, taking the path n. 4d you will reach "Gasthof Schluff", next to the church of Maria Assunta/Maria Himmelfahrt. Here you can choose between the blue-white path n.3 or the red-white path n.2.
Duration: 3 hours (easy low mountain range excursion, suitable for everyone)
Starting from the bee's museum, we follow the hiking path n.10, passing by the inn "Gasthof Drei Birken". We cross the main street and turn on the hiking path n. 8 towards Soprabolzano. From the promenade path you will enjoy a wonderful view on the "Signater Earth pyramids" and reach Soprabolzano after about 30 Min. Once we reached the little station of the "Renon railway", we also got to the starting point of the Renon theme path. For further information about the path please contact the tourist information centre, right next to the railway station. To cover the whole theme path you will take between 2 and 2.5 hours.
(reach the lake by car)
Distance: 6 km Duration: 1.5 hours
(easy, low mountain range excursion, difficult to access with baby carriages)
You can start your excursion right in front of the large parking area on the western shore of Lake Costalovara (1,176 m). We start our round-trip hiking along the lake's shores until we reach the hiking path n.12, behind the Lido and the little wooden house on the eastern end of the lake. Continue on the path for about 30 Min until you reach the "Mitterstieler Weiher". On an elevated hill, on the souther side of the lake, on the so called Oartlkopf (1,267 m) you will find traces of walls, which are probably remains of an ancient fortified refuge. From the "Ortlkopf" as well as from the eastern hill of the lake, the "SchönenAussicht" you will see down to Auna di Sotto and the Dolomites. On the same path, or taking the path n. 13 on the western side of the see, you can go back to Lake Costalovara. By passing by "Gasthof Wolfsgrubener See" you will get back to the parking area and the trip's starting point.
