A mountain with a legend – or what a giant eats like this
The Haunold, called Rocca dei Baranci in Italian, is the highest peak of the Haunold Group in the Sesto Dolomites. It is located south of San Candido and has several peaks: the main peak is 2966 m s.l.m., the eastern peak is 2907 m, the western peak is 2933 m and the southern peak is 2860 m.
There is a legend about the Haunold, namely that of the giant Haunold. Haunold was the son of a Roman field captain who was killed in battle against the Huns. His nurse managed to escape with him by a trick and they hid in the back of the Villgratental. There they were advised by the witch of the “Lottermoidl” to settle down at the nearby spring Admirabus. But the water of the spring was a miraculous water and Haunold grew bigger and bigger and finally grew into a giant. a
In the meantime, the Huns had built Heinfels Castle and ruled terribly over the Puster Valley. When Duke Tassilo now came to the area and camped in St. Oswald, a delegation of the peasants came to him with the request to end the Hun rule. Duke Tassilo laid siege to the Hun castle, but was unable to take it. The Hun prince also failed to decisively defeat the duke, so the decision was to be made in a duel.
But the Hun prince was of such powerful stature that no one wanted to oppose him. So the duke sent a messenger to the spring and asked the giant Haunold for his support. There, where the Sextnerbach flows into the Drava, the great battle between Haunold and the Hun prince took place. Haunold was the stronger, he overcame the prince and tore out one of his ribs. This rib is still hung above the one of the Innichner cathedral. In gratitude, Duke Tassilo founded the monastery of San Candido, in the construction of which Haunold actively participated. In return, the giant demanded a calf, three bushels of beans and a barrel of wine every day. The inhabitants of San Candido were not very pleased with the giant’s enormous appetite and drove him out of their village. Haunold retired as a hermit and, according to legend, he still sleeps in the mountain named after him, waiting for the dawn of the promised time.
The Haunold is also great for skiing. The rather small skiing area of Alta Pusteria is especially popular with families and skiing beginners. For skiing there are 12.6 kilometers of slopes of all levels of difficulty and 5 lifts to transport you.
Maybe you will have a look at the Haunold!
