Cermes (Tscherms in German) is a charming village, set among a series of vineyards and orchards, in the province of Bolzano. It overlooks the below valley and is dominated by the castle of Monteleone (Schloss Lebenberg). The village, due its proximity to Merano, is an ideal starting point not only to visit the famous spa resort but also to organize trekking or mountain bike tours, to discover the trails of the South Tyrol massif or to the famous ski resort of Merano 2000.
The name, documented for the first time in 857, seems to derive from "cembra ', a pre-Roman word that translated means "pine tree".
The area was inhabited since prehistoric times, as attested by archaeological finds recently brought to light. In the XIV century, it was part of the jurisdiction of the court "Stein unter Lebenberg", who's residence was located in the homonymous castle. In the XIV century, the seat of the court was moved to the nearby town of Lana, as the foundations of the Castle of Stein became unsafe, in fact the remains of this castle disappeared in the XIX century, when its replaced by a smaller farmhouse building.
Not to misst:
- the Castle Lebenberg (or Monteleone), erected in the XIII century by the Lords of Marlengo, also known at the time as Lords of Lebenberg, and later it was assigned to the Family Fuchs von Fuchsberg. Here it is possible to admire a three-story chapel, an armory, a hall of mirrors, a picturesque garden in rococo-style and interior courtyards;
- the Parish Church of San Sebastian;
- the small Church of St. Anne;
- the scenic path of the Roggia, which connects to Castle Monteleone to Marlengo.