Pfalzen (German pronunciation: [ˈpfaltsn̩]; Italian: Falzes [ˈfaltses]; Ladin: Falzes) is a comune (municipality) and a village in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northeast of Bolzano.

Geography

As of July 2023, it had a population of 3,106 and an area of 33.3 square kilometres (12.9 sq mi).

Pfalzen borders the following municipalities: Bruneck, Kiens, Gais, St. Lorenzen and Mühlwald.

Frazioni

The municipality of Pfalzen contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Greinwalden (Grimaldo) and Issing (Issengo).

History

Coat-of-arms

The escutcheon is party per pale of gules and argent; with a sickle in each side of opposite color. It is the coat of arms of the Plazoll zu Assling, Lords of Pfalzen in the Middle Ages, who built the castle of Sichelburg (sichel in German means sickle). The emblem was adopted in 1967.

Society

Linguistic distribution

According to the 2011 census, 96.25% of the population speak German, 2.36% Italian and 1.39% Ladin as first language.

Demographic evolution

Notable people

• Fabian Aichner - professional wrestler
• Luis Durnwalder - former Governor of South Tyrol (1989–2014)