Statua di Walther von der Vogelweide - Walther-von-der-Vogelweide-Denkmal

Statua di Walther von der Vogelweide - Walther-von-der-Vogelweide-Denkmal stands in central Waltherplatz, Bolzano’s lively urban meeting place. Heinrich Natter’s marble figure rises above a fountain, giving the square a clear artistic centre. White Laas marble shapes Walther’s serene face, long royal cloak, and viol held close to his body. Two lions with shields stand below, while swans appear to drink from the water.

Walther von der Vogelweide was a medieval poet and minnesinger believed to have lived around 1200. Heinrich Natter created the monument to honour him and reflect a belief in his South Tyrolean origins. Karl Weinhold marked its unveiling with a speech, linking the sculpture to German cultural presence in the region. Political change later altered its setting, as the fascist regime moved it to Roseggerpark. A citizens’ committee eventually secured its return to Waltherplatz, restoring the fountain and sculpture to their original setting. The monument now brings together poetry, marble, water, and Bolzano’s Italian and German cultural history.