News Reopening adventure thermal bath Naturns: friday, 12.12.2024

The Krampus Run:

Alpine Nightmare?

With villages throughout South Tyrol bracing themselves for the annual Krampus invasion, it feels like a set of a horror movie. Interestingly, this age-old custom is currently seeing a revival in popularity.

Before sweeping into the villages, the tension on the streets on the night of 5th December is palpable, any little sound rattling the nerves. This event is also commemorated in Naturns/Naturno, when hordes of terrifying ‘devils’ descend on the village. With cattle horns mounted on their heads, their faces covered in grimacing animal masks, the shaggy-cloaked Krampus menacingly rattle chains and clang cowbells as they sweep through the streets chasing terrified youngsters. Those unfortunate enough to find themselves on the streets at that time flee home along the backstreets. Only the Tuifeltratzer (or ‘devil-baiters’ – brazen young males) dare to confront the Krampus. The taunting goes on for a while, and the outcome depends on whether the youthful challenger is able to outrun the “devil”. Most often it ends with a sooty face and a few bruises here and there.

Drawn from old Alpine folklore, the Krampus are demonic figures that precede the arrival of St. Nicholas during the Advent season. While St. Nicholas rewards good children, the Krampus (also known as Tuifl), are there to punish those that misbehave. Although this old tradition has acquired religious overtones, the old custom probably originated in pre-Christian times, representing the purging of the harsh Alpine winters.
The Krampus punishes misbehaving children.
While not as widespread, the Krampus tradition has been gaining in popularity, and is now more popular than ever in the Alpine regions. Following the re-formation in 2006, the Krampus Association in Naturns currently numbers 70 members. But even joining the club comes at a significant cost, with costumes that can cost up to € 2000.

Krampus are usually men dressed up in shaggy outfits, their faces covered by scary masks. While it used to be the preserve of single males, nowadays women may also be a Krampus. During the world wars of the 20th Century, when most of the menfolk were away, women not only kept the farms going, but also donned the Krampus costumes – without any fuss being made!
Being a Krampus is expensive: the price of a costume with fur and mask can amount to several thousand euros.
Even though Krampus night might sometimes still get a little out of hand, Krampus devils nowadays are more constrained in what they can get up to. While the old Krampus runs were a bit of a free for all, and one didn’t quite know who had just doled out a beating, the event has been toned down considerably. Supported by local municipal authorities, this old custom has evolved into a folk spectacle, and is subject to strict rules. The anonymity of the Krampus is also something of the past. Nowadays, each ‘devil’ has to wear an ID number, allowing traceability in the event of malpractice.

Watching the event unfold from a safe distance, those erstwhile scary nights seem just a distant childhood memory, when the unbridled Krampus rampaged through Naturns. With groups of young boys confronting the Krampus before fleeing, this one-time scary event can be experienced as a bonding rite of passage.
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naturns_naturno naturns_naturno 10 days ago
naturns_naturno

Winter is slowly arriving... ❄️
Who is looking forward to it as much as we are?🥰

📸: Philipp Reiter

#naturns #naturno #winteriscoming #snow #byebyeautumn #mountains #southtyrol #winterzauber #berge #wintererlebnisse #südtirol #altoadige #inverno #inverno2024 #montagne #altoadigedavivere #altoadigedascoprire

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naturns_naturno naturns_naturno 13 days ago
naturns_naturno

✨The time is almost here! The South Tyrolean Christmas markets open their doors in less than a week!🎅 Are you already in the Christmas spirit?🎄

PS: Don't miss the christmas market on November 30th here in Naturns!😍
📍 Burggräfler Platz Naturns

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Naturns  I  Naturno Naturns I Naturno 15 days ago
Naturns  I  Naturno

🇩🇪: ✨Bald ist es soweit! Die Südtiroler Weihnachtsmärkte eröffnen in weniger als einer Woche ihre Tore!🎅 Seid ihr bereits in Weihnachtsstimmung?🎄💖

Verpasst nicht den Adventsmarkt am 30. November bei uns in Naturns!😍
📍 Burggräfler Platz Naturns

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🇮🇹: Il momento è quasi arrivato! I mercatini di Natale dell'Alto Adige aprono tra una settimana!🎅 Siete già in pieno spirito natalizio?🎄💖

Non perdetevi il mercatino dell'Avvento del 30 novembre qui a Naturno!😍
📍 Piazza Burggräfler a Naturno

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naturns_naturno naturns_naturno 16 days ago
naturns_naturno

How about a Jogging-Tour in autumn?🍂 Naturns offers ideal conditions for a running tour!🏃‍♀️ And for all Trailrun-lovers among us, we have the perfect event tip🤘: don't miss the 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐬 Ö𝐭𝐳𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐫𝐮𝐧 on April 5th!💚

#naturns #naturno #running #trailrunner #trailrun #autumn #sunshine #trailrunlovers #southtyrol #südtirol #jogging #laufen #herbst #sonnenberg #altoadige #corsa #autunno #altoadigedavivere #altoadigedascoprire

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Naturns  I  Naturno Naturns I Naturno 18 days ago
Naturns  I  Naturno

🇩🇪: 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗟𝗘𝗜𝗖𝗛:
Die Aussichtsplattform im Sommer☀️ bzw. im Herbst!🍂
Welches Bild gefällt euch besser? 1 oder 2?😍

PS: Die Seilbahn Unterstell🚡 ist bis zum 07.01.2025 täglich in Betrieb.
Montag bis Samstag von 08.00 bis 17.00 Uhr zu jeder vollen Stunde und Sonntags von 08.00 bis 18.00 Uhr zu jeder halben Stunde.

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🇮🇹: 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗢:
La piattaforma panoramica nel estate☀️ o in autunno! 🍂
Quale immagine vi piace di più? 1 & 2?😍

PS: La funivia Unterstell🚡 è aperta tutti i giorni fino al 7 gennaio 2025.
Dal lunedì al sabato dalle ore 08.00 alle ore 17.00 ogni ora e la domenica dalle ore 08.00 alle 18.00 ogni mezz'ora.

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