The little, big Glurns

Glorenza is a very small town: it has just 900 inhabitants and is the smallest in all of Italy. Yet this is not why it is known by tourists and travelers, but because of its unique urban and architectural layout. Glorenza is located in a point that was once highly strategic for trade, as from here you can reach Austria, Switzerland and Italy through the Resia, Forno and Stelvio passes. It was for this reason that the village grew in importance, until it became a city in 1304. Later, however, the town was destroyed during the war, at the end of the fifteenth century. It was then that the emperor Maximilian I gave orders that it be rebuilt, and took on its current appearance. The center is completely surrounded by fortified walls, on which there are over 400 loopholes. There are 4 towers and a wooden walkway. When the works were finished, however, the fortifications were already obsolete as cannons had been invented. Over time, Glorenza lost its commercial importance and became a center of farmers.