&noscript=1 /> Ötzi find spot in Schnalstal valley - South Tyrol Ötzi find spot in Schnalstal valley - South Tyrol
 
Ötzi find spot: On the trail of a glacier mummy
Ötzi find spot: On the trail of a glacier mummy

Day trip destination

Ötzi find spot

Ötzi find spot: On the trail of a glacier mummy

5,300 years ago a man met his violent death on Tisenjoch. The site is at an altitude of 3,200 meters and can be visited on a challenging mountain tour in Schnalstal.

He is probably the most famous South Tyrolean in the world: Ötzi, the Iceman. There have been films made about his life, books written, radio plays staged and fanfares composed. The circumstances of his death, the contents of his stomach, his clothes and equipment, his age, his origin and state of his health, even his tattoos have been and continue to be the subject of worldwide interest, and rightly so! The glacier mummy, which was discovered in September 1991 on the Tisenjoch in Schnalstal valley, is one of the most significant finds of our time. Today you can see the oldest mummy in the world in the South Tyrolean Archaeological Museum in Bozen, where a permanent exhibition is dedicated to it.

A stone pyramid in everlasting ice

It was 19th September 1991 when the German mountaineering couple Erika and Helmut Simon discovered an icy human corpse on the Tisenjoch below the Fineilspitze summit in Schnalstal valley. It wasn’t until days after the complex recovery that it became clear that the body was not, as had been first suspected, that of a mountaineer, but a mummy from the Copper Age. The expert on prehistory and early history, Konrad Spindler certified the body as being at least 4000 years old. Due to the ideal location of the site on Similaun, a 3 by 7 metres wide hollow below the Fineilspitze, Ötzi's body was protected from the destructive forces of the moving glacier for thousands of years. The fact that the mummy was discovered at all was due to the hot summer and the consequent severe glacial melt. During the subsequent archaeological inspections of the Ötzi site, a quiver and its contents were found, as well as laces, fur remains, birch bark, parts of a grass mat and a perfectly preserved fur hat. Ötzi also carried a copper hatchet and a bow with him. The discovery of the glacier mummy in Schnals is a huge asset to South Tyrol as well as countless humanities and scientific research institutes, not least because of how well it is preserved and its age. With the help of radiocarbon dating, the mummy was able to be estimated at around 5,250 years old. Regular research on the glacier mummy in the last few decades has continually provided new findings about how people in the Copper Age lived. Today a large stone pyramid located nearby commemorates the sensational archaeological find.

Ötzi find spot: On the trail of a glacier mummy

The ‘Ötzi Glacier Tour’

For those who want to see up close where Ötzi was found, we recommend a guided hike or ski tour, depending on the weather conditions. These challenging mountain hikes or ski tours are organised by the Schnalstal valley tourist office all year round. The full-day tour can also be undertaken without a mountain guide. However, it is important to find out the current weather conditions and the opening times of the Similaunhütte before setting off.
The seven-hour excursion to the Ötzi site starts from the car park in Vernagt in Schnalstal. From there the path takes you past the Tisenhof inn, where you will discover ancient cup marks along the footpath. The path continues through Tisental to the Similaun hut on the Niederjoch. You will reach Tisenjoch and the stone pyramid near the Ötzi find spot via a rocky ridge and an only partly-secured path.

read more read less
Farm search
Farms near the Ötzi find spot
17 farm found farms found
Unterpretrachhof flower flower flower
Fam. Tumler  | Schnals  (Meran and environs)
Livestock
breakfast
Farm's own products: milk, yoghurt, cheese ...
Farm offers: Barn visits, Farm tour
Distance 4,7 km
Position on Map
4,3
"Good"
(18 Review)
Room from 76€ a night
Holiday flat from 120€ a night
Anderleithof flower flower flower
Fam. Rainer  | Schnals  (Meran and environs)
Livestock
Farm's own products: milk, speck, sausages ...
Farm offers: barn visits, experience everyday life on the farm, guests can take from the farm garden
Distance 5,7 km
Position on Map
5,0
"Excellent"
(23 Review)
Holiday flat from 90€ a night
Oberniederhof flower flower flower flower
Fam. Tappeiner  | Schnals  (Meran and environs)
Farm with organic farming, Livestock
breakfast
Farm shop: cheese, fresh meat, speck ...
Farm offers: Farm garden tour, Farm tour and produce tasting
Distance 6,5 km
Position on Map
4,9
"Very good"
(4 Review)
Holiday flat from 110€ a night
Load more results
Your search result

Ötzi find spot

Further information

Contacts
Place of discovery Ötzi
Tisenjoch Mountain
39020 Senales
Operation Schedules
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
description to arrive at destination

Option 1: Naturno/Naturns - Schnalstal Valley - Vernago/Vernagt
Option 2: Naturno/Naturns - Schnalstal Valley - Maso Corto/Kurzras

Author's tip
The tourisguided, i.e. in the company of a mountain guide, recommended.
Park

Parking places at Vergnago/Vernagt: at the lake and in front of the champel, free, unguarded
Parking place at Maso Corto/Kurzras: in summer to pay, unguarded; in winter free, unguarded

Public transport

Option 1: with the bus line no. 261 to Vernago/Vernagt
Option 2: with the bus line no. 261 to Maso Corto/Kurzras

General description

On September 19th, 1991 Ötzi, the Iceman, was found by the German mountaineering couple Erika and Helmut Simon on Tisenjoch/Giogo di Tisa mountain, above the Niederjochferner/Giogo basso mountain in 3,210 m a.s.l.

Today a pyramid of stones identifies the find spot.

Full-day tour, rechable from Vernago through the Tisental Valley to the Similaun refuge, to the place of discovery OR from Maso Corto to the Schnalstal Glacier and o the place of discovery. Return path through the Similaun refuge and the Tisental Valley. Duration: about 5 hours ascent and 3-4 hours descent.

All year round on Tuesday the guided hike or ski tour "Ötzi Glacier Tour" brings interested guests to the place of discovery - more details and registration at the archeoParc Schnalstal Valley or online under www.oetzi-glacier-tour.it