Worth knowing about the "Keschtnriggl" chestnut festival
How it all started
Worth knowing about the Keschtnriggl chestnut festival

Worth knowing about the "Keschtnriggl" chestnut festival

How it all started

The "Keschtnriggl" is a device made of chestnut wood, which has been used for centuries in the Burggrafenamt to remove the roasted chestnuts. It may well be no coincidence that it was just the portly winegrowers around Meran, who invented this tool in order not to have to dirty their fingers.
The sweet chestnut is particularly deeply rooted in the southern corner of the Burggrafenamt, in Lana and on the overlying low mountain ranges of Ackpfeif, Rateis, Völlan, Naraun, Tisens, Prissian and Grissian. As early as 1558, the noble fruit was mentioned in the Tiroler Landreim and has always been known for the "bestn kestn". So it is not surprising that it was in Lana, where in 1992 with a much visited chestnut conference an important contribution to the rescue of the sweet chestnut was started.

Since 1998, every year in late autumn, the chestnut days take place, whose name "Keschtnriggl" reflects the exclusivity of the South Tyrolean chestnut culture. The Kastanientage are not an event staged with a lot of money. Rather, farmers, forestry authorities and numerous local associations are trying to give the numerous visitors a vivid and authentic picture of what the sweet chestnut has meant to this landscape and its inhabitants for many centuries. Highlights of the Kastanientage are the chestnut festivals in Völlan and Tisens, which always enjoy a large influx. Also the gastronomy waits in the late autumn weeks with exquisite chestnut specialties.

Keschtnriggl - old craft

"Keschtnriggl" is not about a tongue twister, but refers to a commodity that is made according to ancient tradition.
The chestnut wood and hazel are used to weave "Keschtnriggl" to free the chestnuts from the skin.
After roasting the chestnuts on an open fire, they are shaken in the "Keschtnriggl". The shell dissolves and falls through the thin cracks on the ground, leaving behind the peeled chestnuts.

South Tyrolean chestnut adventure trail

Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut)
Trees are not just raw material suppliers. They exude peace, give strength and create places of reflection and inner retreat. Especially the sweet chestnut, with its deep roots, the gnarled trunk and the huge tree crown, creates contact with the rest of the cosmos. It opens up new ways to experience nature.

The South Tyrolean chestnut adventure trail in Völlan offers a unique opportunity to discover the variety of sweet chestnut. 10 adventure elements between history, science and curiosities line the educational path around the chestnut and convey the meaning of the sweet chestnut and the chestnut tree for the people. Picturesque resting places invite you to relax and unwind ...

Arrival: from Lana via Gampenstraße to Völlan. Park in the village center next to the church. After 700 meters walk you will reach the starting point of the Kastanienerlebnisweg, a man-sized chestnut hedgehog.

Green Event

The organizers have set themselves the goal of organizing and implementing this event by taking into account environmental criteria. The focus of the event in this sense is waste prevention, gentle mobility and resource conservation. Both the guests and the employees of the organization team should be made aware of environmental issues.