Rasen-Antholz

Rasen-Antholz, comune (municipality) located in the Italian region of Trentino–Alto Adige. It is a small mountain community consisting of six Fraktionen (villages or subdivisions within a municipality). Rasen-Antholz has become a center for winter sports. German is the native language of 98 percent of the population.

History

The earliest documented mention of the town is from 1050. The 12th century marked the emergence of the County of Tyrol as a coherent political entity within the Holy Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages the area was ruled by nobles known as the lords of Rasen, who built the castles of Neurasen and Altrasen (New and Old Rasen). Together with the rest of Tyrol, Rasen-Antholz passed to Habsburg rule in 1363. It remained part of the Habsburg realm until 1919, when the southern part of Tyrol was assigned to Italy.

The contemporary town

Located in the Antholz valley, Rasen-Antholz is a center for nature tourism and winter sports. The biathlon has become the signature sport of the area. The town first hosted an international biathlon competition in 1971, and it served as the venue for the sport at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Pop. (2021) 2,911.