History of Brixen

Bressanone (Brixen), which was inhabited from the Neolithic era, in Roman times was conquered by Drusus (38-9 BC), stepson of emperor Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) in 15 BC and incorporated into the Roman province of "Rhaetia". In 590 AD, after the fall of the Roman Empire, this land was incorporated into the Duchy of Bavaria. King Louis the Child (891-911), the last King of the Carolingians, in 901 gave the royal court "Prichsna" the bishop Zacharias (XI century).

Around the year 1000 was born the city, surrounded by walls, which, after the donation of the Inn Valley Counties and of Isarco, made in 1027 by Emperor Conrad II (990-1039) in favour of the bishop of Brixen Artvigo, became the capital of the country. In the thirteenth century, much of the territory was usurped by the Counts of Tyrol. The Ecclesiastic Principality of the Holy Roman Empire with its three city of Bressanone, Brunico and Klausen, including some jurisdictions in nearby valleys, lasted until 1803.

The town of Bressanone throughout the Middle Ages was an artistic and cultural centre of major importance, and in modern times it gained its own administrative autonomy, focusing on trade and craft. After 1803 Brixen decayed to a simple provincial town; however, with the beginning of tourism, thanks to its mild climate and the treasures of great historical and artistic heritage, the city regained its economic development. Today Bressanone is known as a thermal baths town and a place that has a great heritage of monuments and priceless art collections.

Etymology

As regards the etymology, the interpretation of the place name is established until the nineteenth century, and it dates back to the Celtic word "brica", “briga”(top, hill, high ground) with several findings in other areas of Celtic influence (“Bressa” in Gaul, in Spain “Brexa”, Bressanone and "Brixia", Brescia). The name is attested for the first time in 827 as "Pressena", "Prichsna" and “Brixina”. G. Rose wrote that "[...] The root of Brixia is repeated in "Briscen” (Brixen) in the “Vindelici”, one of the Germanic tribes, in 'Brescello' in the area of Modena, in 'Brissa' in Ticino, 'Bresega' in Padua, 'Bressa'in the area of Udine, in 'Brix' and 'Brixem' in France (...) for which it is said that the root was shared by several people, perhaps indicating a “very high place”, that the Celts called 'brig' [...]" (See G. Rosa, in“Dei Reti e dei Cenomani Antichi”, “Archivio Storico Italiano”, Reprinted from Bibliobazaar, 2009: 245).

The hypothesis of G. Rosa was confirmed by contemporary studies, because "[...] The Gauls Cenomani settled between the Adda and the Mincio, and in that city that was located in a steep rise, called 'brick' from which derived the new name of 'Brixia'; they made it the capital of their territory, "Caput Cenomanorum '[' Capital of Cenomani '] [...]" (See, “Italia Romana”, Istituto di studi Romani, 1938, Vol. 4: 260). Some scholars incline to a pre-Celtic name, albeit with the same meaning ("high ground"): "[...] Many scholars, including especially Alessio (1948), tend to relate the root ['briga'] of the place name to sense of 'rock', 'high ground', a pre-Indoeuropen and pre-Celtic name [...]" (See E. Campanile, "The Celts of Italy”, Giardini, 1981: 48). G. Semerano moves away from the common interpretation, who explains the etymology of Bressanone in a particular way: "[...]

The etymology of 'Brixia', like 'Brixina' (Brixen) has its base within the Akkadian term 'Pirku' (land-line Border 'Querlinie', 'Genzbereich eines Stadtgebietes'); the second component of 'Brixia' corresponds to the Neo-Assyrian 'issu' and Akkadian 'Isdu' ( foundation: of a building , wall, Organization of country or city '): as for' Brixina ', on the Inn River [...]" (See G. Semerano, "The Origins of European Culture", Olschki, 1984: 630). Therefore for prof. Semerano, Brixen would mean simply "the act of foundation or organization of a city."