Monticolo Lake and the legend of the Wild Man who lived in the little house in the woods

Monticolo Lake or Monticolo Lakes – because there are actually two, one attached to the other – are two small, little-known Alpine jewels, immersed in the forest of Monte di Mezzo , the Monticolo forest, precisely, above the municipality of Appiano on the Wine Road, in the province of Bolzano .

Lago Grande, the largest, and Lago Piccolo, the calmer one, are of glacial origin. While you can skate on them in winter, in summer they are completely suitable for swimming and the water is crystal clear, making them one of the most beautiful excursions you can take, off the beaten track . In summer, in fact, you can enjoy Lago Piccolo's small beach and even a swimming pool with a slide suitable for both adults and children.

The hike to the Monticolo Lakes is one of the most picturesque summer excursions, and the small number of hikers encountered in this part of South Tyrol truly makes a difference compared to other highly popular and overtouristed destinations. There are several easy loops through the woods connecting the two lakes, ideal for families with children or dogs (which must always be kept on a leash, as pets may be encountered), so you can explore them on foot or by mountain bike. Among the trees in the woods are shady beaches, benches, and tables perfect for a picnic. Furthermore, prehistoric remains can be found near the Great Lake.

The megalithic ruins of Lake Monticolo

Above the Monticolo Lakes, on Monte di Mezzo, hidden among the dense vegetation, lie the megalithic ruins of Colle Joben, considered by some to be a prehistoric astronomical observatory . The site preserves the remains of an old hill fort, a fortified settlement from the Bronze Age, although today it is somewhat abandoned. In the 1930s, engineer Georg Innerebner was among the first to analyze it, stating that it was a station for observing astronomical alignments, oriented toward the rising and setting points of the Sun. Later, engineer Mario Codebò proposed that the remains date back to the Middle Ages, raising doubts about the dating and original function of the site. A sacred place aligned with the solar cycle, rather than a defensive military structure, Colle Joben is considered one of the first archaeoastronomical sites studied in Italy.

The Legend of the Wild Man Who Lived in the Little House in the Woods

But that's not the only curiosity linked to the Monticolo Lakes, because there's a legend about a mysterious man who supposedly lived in a little house in the woods. Once upon a time, there was a mysterious little house in the Monticolo forest, which people kept away from. Legend has it that in that very little house lived a savage, a man of great stature, strong and evil, known to all as the "Wild Man of Monticolo ." Many stories have been told about this fearsome creature. Once upon a time, an elderly woman went into the woods to gather dry branches to make a fire. Meanwhile, the sun set, and night fell before the woman could even return. She didn't return home that evening, but no one had the courage to go into the woods to look for her. When people went looking for the old woman the next morning, they found only some leftovers near the mysterious little house on Col dell'Uomo, and even today it is said that she was devoured by the Wild Man himself (in German, Wilder Mann).

Another day, however, the Wild Man went to Colterenzio, near Appiano, and stole some oxen from a stable. The farmer, who noticed, followed him into the woods and saw that the oxen were carrying large rocks up the hill. Too frightened to approach, the farmer returned home helpless. But the next day, to his great surprise, he found the oxen back in their stable, fattened and much stronger than before. So the Wild Man wasn't necessarily evil.

Another time, some people who had gone into the woods to gather leaves passed by the Wild Man's cottage, from whom they had been missing for some time. Being very curious, they decided to take a look inside. Opening the door, they saw a huge quarry. They decided to climb down, and as soon as they were inside the pit, everything began to spin so rapidly that they all felt dizzy. Suddenly, all the walls of the pit turned to gold , and everything around them shone. Terrified to death, they tried to get out of the quarry as quickly as possible, but glancing back, they realized that the gold was gone and the pit was empty.