The Mercantile Museum

The Mercantile Museum bears witness to Bolzano’s strong trading tradition. The city was already an import trade hub back in the Middle Ages thanks to its advantageous location, straddling some of the major transalpine roads. Bolzano’s markets were first documented in 1202 and, from the 15^th century onwards, turned into large, international trade fairs held several times a year. This is where merchants exchanged luxury products from the Italian peninsula – such as oil, citrus fruits, and textiles – and Mitteleuropa such as wool, hemp, and linen. However, that wasn’t the only thing that was bought and sold – the practice also involved currency and international titles. The museum is located in an 18^th-century palazzo designed by Francesco Perotti, an architect from Verona. During its history, it was also the headquarters of the Mercantile Magistrate for over a century – a court founded in 1635 to settle disputes among merchants. The small bell on the roof still works and was used to mark the start and end of the hearings, while the museum’s halls are home to original furnishings and documents, an extensive painting collection, refined works of art, and the trade archive of the famous G. A. Menz company. The “hall of honour” had been Bolzano’s most sumptuous public hall for centuries, and was transformed into a concert hall, theatre, and opera house during carnival. Durin Bolzano Danza, the museum will reenact this cultural tradition, transforming into an original scenic space hosting refined, original performances.