Reschen

Reschen (German: Reschen am See, lit. 'Reschen on the Lake') (Italian: Resia) is a village in South Tyrol, and one of four fractions of the comune Graun im Vinschgau. it is located around an elevation of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in Vinschgau and the Vinschger Oberland, the highest part of the Etschtal. The village is near the Austrian-Italian border. Directly north of the village is the summit of Reschen Pass, from which the Adige, Italy's second-longest river, originates. Directly south of the village is the Reschensee, where the Rojental valley branches off to the southwest. Tourism plays a large role in the village. Agriculture also is important to the local economy, almost exclusively cattle breeding and dairy farming. As a result, the landscape around the Reschensee and Rojental is characterized by lush meadows.

The Schöneben ski area, which is located in Reschen, is also of economic and touristic importance to the region.

According to linguist and topographer Karl Finsterwalder, the name dates back to 1393 and refers to a large farm named "der Resche". The name comes from a supposed nickname for the farm owner, with "resch" meaning strong or powerful.

In the 19th century, the last bear in South Tyrol was shot in Reschen, until the bear JJ1 wandered through the province in 2005. Residents of Reschen are still referred to as "Bärenschießer" (bear shooters) to this day.

Following the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War 1, South Tyrol was ceded to the Kingdom of Italy. When the Treaty of Saint-Germain went into effect in 1920, Reschen became a border town on the newly drawn Austrian-Italian border. In 1928, the previously independent municipality was incorporated into the new, larger municipality of Graun im Vinschgau.

Around Reschen are many bunkers of the Vallo Alpino, from the time of Italian fascism. Many of the underground facilities, such as the one on Plamort above Reschen, are extremely large. The area around the bunkers was formerly a restricted military zone. Nowadays, one can find various artificial boulders and cliffs around the village, that can be opened to reveal massive firing ports.

A significant part of the village was lost during the construction of the Reschensee in 1950. This necessitated the reconstruction of several buildings, such the parish church of St. Sebastieean, on higher ground.