A circular hiking trail connecting three rock formations with each new rest
The three Knottn – red porphyry hills – emerge suddenly from a landscape of forest and meadows in Verano, Italy, lending the area its distinctive character. The circular hiking trail ‘Knottnkino3’ connects these three rock formations with newly-created resting areas.
At the Rotstein-Knott, near the original ‘Knottnkino’ conceived by artist Franz Messner in the year 2000, the first rest area takes shape through circular cuts in the terrain. This even space, carved from the porphyry, forms a bench and a backrest. The circular segments merge into the landscape, leaving only subtle lines as traces on the surface.
Antoinette Bader’s “wind rose” originates from a net of lines. This petroglyph, etched into the porphyry at the intersection of natural context and human intervention, creates a space for contemplation. The symbolically incomplete piece fosters a dialogue between nature and human creation, between past and future.
Rotstein-Knott
Beimstein-Knott
Beimstein-Knott, directly above Verano, captivates visitors with its winding paths and stunning views. The installation “Attimo,” based on sketches by the late artist Franz Messner, features five chairlift seats arranged along an imagined hazardous route over the rocky hillside. This installation, offering a spectacular view of the village, creates continuity with the Vöran cable car, linking the village directly with the Beimstein-Knott via a “Direttissima.”
Timpfler-Knott, the lowest of the three rock formations, exudes a calm, almost mystical atmosphere. Circular incisions in the rock transform the terrain into a rest area. Despite the fragmented terrain, the circle as a symbol of eternity remains discernible. From a distance, the delicate carvings act as subtle landmarks, revealed only through the interplay of shadows.
Michael Fliri’s sculpture of a wolf integrates into this serene landscape, seemingly wandering across the rocky, domed surface. This image holds dual significance: the sculpture itself and its shadow play. The symbiosis of two human hands—the artist’s—creates a wolf’s silhouette in shadow play, facilitated by a glove that blurs the boundaries between human and animal. These theatrical stagings invoke a mystical and archaic tradition, merging human and animal forms.
Timpfler-Knott
Project: Theme Path “KNOTTNKINO³” Nature Cinema / Location: Verano, Italy / Architects: Messner Architects – Antoinette Bader, Franz Messner, Michael Fliri / Contractors: südtirol.stein, archplay / Project coordinator: Ulrike Vent / Client: community of Verano / Support: EU Leader / Completion: 2019 / Photograph: ©Oliver Jaist (courtesy of the architect)
