Pianizza di Sopra with its Gothic St. John Church is located at 504 m a.s.l., directly along the Mendola Pass Road
Pianizza di Sopra (Oberplanitzing, in German), one of the eight localities of Caldaro, is a charming spot of land at 504 m a.s.l., 7 km from the shores of Lake Caldaro. A chestnut grove in the north of the village with the St. John Church from the 16th century enchants visitors in autumn due to its blaze of colours. Also a school and a kindergarten can be found here.
Once called “Planities superior”, that’s to say “upper plane slope terrace”, the locality became part of Caldaro in the 18th century. Already in the 8th century, the Tegernsee Convent, the largest one in Bavarian history, was in possession of huge properties and vineyards in this area. In the locality there are - like everywhere in Caldaro - several historical manors, among them the Andergassen Residence with its fresco of St. Florian, the Strengherrnhof Residence from the 16th century and the ruin of the late Gothic St. George Tower. Today a riding facility can be found there.
Pianizza di Sopra borders Appiano, another market town towards Bolzano, which makes it a perfect starting point for bicycle tours, e.g. the MTB tour above Caldaro, or for hikes, such as the one to the natural phenomenon of the Ice Holes in Appiano Monte.
