Mountain Museum Corones: open every day from 10 am to 4 pm starting from July 24th
The makers of the MMM Corones could be excused for peaking with excitement during the inauguration (Thursday, 23 July) of the sixth Messner Mountain Museum located on the summit plateau of Plan de Corones. “The world has never seen anything like it.” A look of satisfaction at a job well done was written on the faces of those individuals who were a driving force in the creation of the MMM Corones, as the blue Moessmer Loden fabric that artistically cloaked the entrance was cast aside during this morning’s grand opening. Construction of the sixth and final Reinhold Messner Museum for Alpine Mountaineering took nearly two years.
“The museum’s development was, without a doubt, a challenge... not only for us, but for each and every company involved in the construction, the majority of which are based in South Tyrol. But with grit, decisiveness, ample motivation and the fantastic contributions of all those involved, this masterful achievement has been realised,” summarised Skirama’s President Matthias Prugger during his opening speech before an audience of many invited guests.
The MMM Corones, which shall be devoted to Alpinism’s supreme discipline, was planned by star architect Zaha Hadid, who is famous for powerful, curving forms and elongated structures that avoid right angles. It is for this reason that concrete is the MMM Corones’ dominant construction material, despite creating geometric obstacles that challenged the realm of known possibilities. Patrik Schumacher, who also addressed the guests, received a personal tour of the exhibition from Reinhold Messner himself.
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The complexity of the project was the source of many sleepless nights and taxed minds, not to mention the logistical hardships of construction. After all, many parts had to be transported by lorry to the construction site at 2,275 m, where work was often delayed by the adverse mountain conditions. “All of our efforts have been rewarded. Today, we stand before something exceptional. Our vision has become reality. Plan de Corones has now been transformed from a winter ski haven to a year-round attraction,” said Prugger. “The more than three-million euro investment was 100% funded by the Plan de Corones cable-car operators themselves".
Fantastic Views Despite Being Underground
In addition to Skirama’s President Matthias Prugger and Patrik Schmumacher, both San Vigilio’s mayor Albert Palfrader, Philipp Achammer and Reinhold Messner expressed their satisfaction at the museum's inauguration.Messner, the extreme Alpinist, was given free reign to design the museum spaces. “At the MMM Corones, I recount the history and development of modern mountain climbing, from the equipment and its transformation over the last 250 years, to the triumphs and tragedies of the world’s most famous mountains – Matterhorn, Cerro Torre, K2 – and their ability to represent that which we do, as contradictory as this may seem. It is unbelievably exciting to tell stories from a stage of this magnitude.”
The Highlight
The MMM Corones was opened with a particular highlight: Reminiscent of the artistic veiling of the Reichstag in Berlin with aluminum-coated synthetic material by the artist Christo more than 20 years ago, the MMM Corones was cloaked in fabric and mystery. Fabricated by the Moessmer Tuchfabrik AG, a giant veil was created exclusively for the Messner Mountain Museum “Corones” at Plan de Corones. More than 150 centimetres wide and 350 metres long, it was made of elegant midnight blue. The Loden-cloth length of material was made especially for the breathtaking grand opening. “The colour blue has stood for art and culture since the middle ages,” said Moessmer’s President and Majority Shareholder Paul Oberrauch. “With this grand unveiling, we aim to meld tradition with modernity, just as we do with our fabrics on a daily basis.”
Information
The MMM Corones officially opens its doors 24 July. It shall be open daily in the summer months from 10 AM to 4 PM. (First Sunday in June to the second Sunday in October). In Winter its doors will be open from the first Sunday in December to the Middle of April (according to the opening times of the cable cars). The museum can be reached directly by means of the cable car or by foot as part of a mountain hike. The primary discipline of mountain climbing as well as the large walls are the central themes of the museum as illustrated by a unique collection, photographs, and various items collected by Reinhold Messner during his lifetime as an explorer..
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