Culture & Sights in the Dolomites Region 3 Zinnen

It is one of the most striking skylines created by nature – the unique Sesto Sun Dial mountains. The Dolomite peaks number Nine, Ten (Croda Rossa di Sesto), Eleven, Twelve and One tower high above Sesto and jointly form the imposing stone clockwork. The position of the sun above these peaks can be used to determine the time on clear winter days. And: The Sesto Sun Dial also offers continuous new incentive and stimulation to challenge new records and to go beyond one’s personal limits – or even beyond the limits of the imaginable. The people of Sesto are really creative in this context! Greti Rogger, the innkeeper at the Pian di Cengia hut, and her son Daniel have managed to climb all five peaks of the Sun Dial on a single day. It is hard to imagine a more intense race against time! Insider hint: The best place and time to watch the sun above the Sesto Sun Dial is the main road between Moso and the Congress Hall “Haus Sexten” – in winter! This is when the sun dial will match the time of day rather well.

HOLY TRINITY HOSPITAL CHURCH: With the founding of the hospital in 1456, a chapel was built nearby (1456-1473). Further expansion to the size of the present church took place in the middle of the 17th century. The Hospital Church is decorated in the Baroque style.

You can find the history stones at the road of meditation. The "Schalensteine" - history stones discovered the priest Küer. They are one of the most ancient sings of habitation at Sesto / Sexten.

The married couple Johann Tschurtschenthaler and Agnes Galler vowed to build a chapel for the happy return of their son from World War II. In 1949 the chapel was built and consecrated to the Mother of God of Fatima.

Although this church originally built in Romanic style dates back to the 12th century, renovation performed after 1735 transformed it to the Baroque jewel we see today with the lavish ornamentation that recalls the exuberance of Rococo. The outside is characterised by arched windows, niches with statues, the impressive main facade crowned by a cross, angels blowing trumpets and bearing glowing braziers, and the walls' buttresses in the form of scrolls. Without doubt, this church is one of the most beautiful sacral buildings in Tyrol.

The Dolomites are renowned all around the world for their unique -beauty. No other place can boast such contrasts between steep rocks and grassy pastures. Michael Wachtler presents the evolving of the Dolomites and their unique genesis in the historical Villa Wachtler. THE BIGGEST MUSEUM ABOUT THE DOLOMITES It will take you from the mysterious world of myths and legends to the bottom of our existence. “Megachirella wachtleri”, the ancient ancestor of today‘s snakes and lizards. The mysterious evolution of plants. Cavern bears in the Dolomites. NEW! DINOSAUR WORLD New researches yielded that in the Dolomites originated the ancestors of the dinosaurs. Beautiful dioramas and original skeletons show you their sensational ascension. NEW! THE LEGENDS OF DOLOMITES From Aurona, the land of gold and the lights to the Snow Queen Samblana. From the legend about the "Pale Mountains" to the Croderes, the people of stone. NEW! TREASURE DIGGING ALL THE YEAR Become an adventurous gold miner and crystal hunter yourself. You might just find a dinosaur, fossils, gold or a crystal of your own.

Lake Lago di Dobbiaco is situated at 1259 m in the Val di Landro which links Dobbiaco with Cortina. It is located in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park. The lake with its varied lakeside vegetation is the ideal resting and breeding place for many kinds of water birds, including those which breed in South Tyrol only rarely and infrequently. During the bird migration periods in the spring and the autumn several rare migratory birds can be spotted here.
Lake Dobbiaco is a safe and relatively undisturbed habitat and one of the few remaining wetlands in South Tyrol.

A nature discovery trail with 11 stations around the lake provides important informations on the vegetation, wildlife and geomorphology of the area. The viewing platform on the western shore offers a place to rest and views of the lake’s plants and wildlife and of the silted areas. Walking time approx. 2 hours from Dobbiaco.

In the summer the lake is refreshingly cool for tired feet. Boat trips (contact boat hire: +39 0474 973 267) and fishing are also recommended: fishing licenses for foreigners can be obtained from the Tourism Association Dobbiaco, day tickets in the restaurant by the lake.

In winter you can enjoy ice stick shooting, curling and ice skating.

The Gustav Mahler statue is located directly in the village center of Dobbiaco and was made in the years 1976 - 1982 by the Slovenian Bojan Kunaver.

The famous composer Gustav Mahler delighted in his summer holidays in Dobbiaco: “It is wonderful to be here, it sets your soul and body at ease...”. From 1908 to 1910 Gustav Mahler spent the summer months at the Trenkerhof farm in Carbonin Vecchia. In the composing house there he created his Ninth Symphony, the unfinished Tenth Symphony and “Das Lied von der Erde.”

The Herbst Castle is named after the Brothers Kaspar and Christoph Herbst who built the Castle in 1500. In 1511, the Herbst Castle was used as a residence by Emperor Maximilian I.

Visits available only from the outside.

The complex was bought in 1500 by the brothers Kaspar and Christoph Herbst zu Herbstenburg and rebuilt into a fortified complex. It was the center of a fortified complex that extended through underground passages to the so-called "Red Tower" in the northwestern part of the village. In the cellars of the castle were the prisons of the Dobbiaco court.
In the years 1508 to 1511 the castle was the seat of the court quarters of Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg. It was there that in 1511 the decision was made to wage war against the Republic of Venice.

The Franciscan Church was consecrated by the archbishop of Bressanone in 1697. The church is characterised by being back to basics, as the friar churches built during the Counter-Reformation clearly differ from traditional Collegiate Churches dedicated to belongings and culture through their simple and clear method of construction (planning: Franciscan friar Vitus Rastbichler from the Ötztal Valley). The Order's ideal of simplicity and poverty is reflected in the absence of a high bell tower and complex vaults and frescoes. After the entrance there's the small Chapel of Saint Anthony annexed to the nave destined for private meditation. The Fathers originally recited the choral prayers from the gallery. Not much of what distinguished the initial version of the church remains to be seen today, with the exception of the large oil paintings behind the side altars and the Franciscan saints on the southern wall. Today's altars are nice examples of Rococo art. The careful restoration works performed between 1992 and 1994 provided the Convent with its original appearance. The restoration project was awarded the Europa Nostra Prize in June, 1994. Visiting hours: daily (except Monday morning) 8 am - 6.30 pm

The Carnic mountain ridge appears almost insignificant compared to the stately Dolomite rock towers on the opposite side of the Sesto valley. But this impression is deceiving! From Sesto, you can not only reach the Tre Cime Dolomiti, a popular and panoramic hiking and skiing area, but also the western foothills of a mountain range that stretches for over 100 km, almost to Villach in Carinthia. Interesting detail: The Carnic Alps were formed long before the Dolomites. Numerous fossil finds indicate a turbulent, geological past. However, the mountain range also has great historical importance, as it forms part of the Italian-Austrian border. Those who want to experience a border passing on high tracks can walk from the Monte Elmo peak (2,434 m) past the Helmhaus and along the ridge - with their left foot in Austria and the right one in Italy. This is also the starting point of the popular Carnic high route, also called the "peace route", which leads in eight to eleven days of walking to Arnoldstein in Carinthia.

 

The history of the Grauer Bär Hotel goes back half a millennium. It has, in fact, been  in the hands of the same family for nine generations now. The reconstruction and renovation of the bar, reception area, lobby, rooms, and restaurant extension were thus carried out by a variety of different architects over the course of many years and with great sensitivity. The spatial and historical qualities of the old building were developed in this way; at the same time, though, a new and contemporary atmosphere was created. The existing historical structure served as the starting point for the architectural changes, which were integrated in such a way that creates the feeling it has always been so. The bar in particular, which was done in light wood, white plaster and hanging lamps, with clean lines, has become one of the village's main meeting places.

The Collegiate Church in San Candido is one of the most beautiful sacral buildings in Roman style in the Eastern Alps. The Collegiate Church was constructed around 1143 when the Benedictine Convent of San Candido founded in the 8th century by Duke Tassilo from Bavaria III was transformed into a Collegiate Church. The Church assumed its present appearance around 1280, while the bell tower dates back to between 1320 and 1326. The monumental walls recall the style of the fortresses favoured by the crusaders and the many castles built in the days of the Hohenstaufen. Also the church was meant to be a fortress of God. Worth seeing are the monumental Roman fresco, the special crucifixion group, and the crypt.

ST. MAGDALENE'S CHURCH IN MOOS (Mooskirche): St. Magdalene’s Church was built in the year 1490 through a donation provided by Countess Paula von Gonzaga, wife of Margrave Leonhard von Görz. The early baroque high altar dates back to approx. 1600. A relief plaque depicting the Adoration of the Magi, a work by Michael Parth from the late Gothic period (around 1520), adorns the high altar. The church is located a short distance outside of town in the direction of Welsberg/Monguelfo. Open to the public: Early April – early October 8am - 7pm

The sawmill chapel is located at Dobbiaco Nuova/Neutoblach. The chapel is possible to reach by car or by foot. The walking trail can be continued until the Lake of Dobbiaco.  

The chapel was built because of the frequent threat of the Troge stream, the chapel was built in 1903                   

The San Valentino Church The San Valentino Church was built in 1825 at Bagni di Moso / Bad Moos. The chapel was constructed in 1925 by Valentin Wassermann for bathing guests. In 1980 the chapel was renovated.

The new Strata wing of the conservative Königswarte Residence creates a conscious contrast with its modern architecture and design. The building was developed with the high outlines of the sunny slopes overlooking the Dolomites in mind. Horizontal lines created by larch wood slats on the balconies of the facade characterize this building, creating a continuation of the topography and connecting the construction mass as closely as possible to the landscape with this layering.  Hidden behind, there is a spacious, glazed concrete construction that houses the roomy suites. Natural materials such as loden, leather, larch wood and Dolomite stone are used in these well-proportioned rooms. The architecture won the Piper's Award and the Next Generation Award in 2008 as well as the Alpine Interior Award in 2011.

The church of San Silvestro/Wahlen is devoted to St.Nicolas, patron saint against flooding and avalanches. The church was bulit in the 16th century. 

A church in Wahlen was first mentioned in a document around 1258. Certainly in the 15th century, but probably already in the 14th century, there was a little church dedicated to St. Nicholas in Wahlen. According to the inscription on the choir vault, the Gothic church of St. Nicholas in Wahlen with its rich net vault and beautiful portals was newly built in 1512 by the master builder Andre Firtaler from San Candido.                                          

The church of St. Mary is built in Gothic style. The Gothic middle relief and the side figures are significant. From the church there starts a path of meditation which leads to the chapel San Pietro in Monte/St. Peter am Kofl.

With the opening in september 2004 the alpine dairy Three Peaks offers for the first time the possibility to visit the production of cheese and dairy processing. After taking a view on the history and development of cheesemaking in the museum the production can be visited on a guided tour.

Certainly all the products of the alpine dairy can be degustated afterwards.

 

The Red Tower is named after the red color of its paint, but it is also named Hornberger Tower. It was bulit in 1430.                                                     

The newest part of the village from a settlement point of view is located on a gigantic scree. Only the church, which usually provides the centre of the village, is located on a panoramic hill. It is definitely one of the most beautiful church hills in the region! The parish was devoted to the patron of water St. Nicholas. This saint was often chosen in villages prone to overflowing by raging rivers (ancient German winnen = raging). In 1507 the Prato Drava parish church was first mentioned in a document within the framework of consecration. The traditional rectangular floor-plan of proto-Romanic construction was transformed and renovated in Gothic style around1500. The elegant construction with ogive windows and portal has maintained all its Gothic charm, including the floor-plan, the section with support pilaster and pilaster strips , the triumphal art and the polygonal choir stall. Unfortunately in 1821, the vaults were stripped of their ribs, and only a Coronation of Mary and a representation of the legend of St. Nicholas (approx. 1505) are all that remain of the original frescoes in the Church of Prato Drava. The epitaph of the Klettenhammer family with its architectonic frame dates back to the 17th century. The altars, pulpit and confession boxes that date back to the early 19th century exemplify a unified and extremely rustic Baroque style. A steep path with the Stations of the Cross and four wayside shrines leads to the church hill. The wooden statues in these wayside shrines realised in rustic, realistic Baroque style show scenes from the Passion of Christ: The Mount of Olives, the Flagellation, the Crowning with Thorns, Jesus carrying the Cross; the Crucifixion group located in the graveyard is also of the same genre and period (1700 circa). Visiting hours: The church is only accessible during mass celebrations (during the summer season every day).

"Haus Sexten" ist the Eventcentre/Congress hall of Sexten                      

Sesto was completely destroyed during the First World War, and the homes in the village are therefore new, almost without exception. Architecturally speaking the most important structure is the new Drei Zinnen Hotel, which was built in 1930 in the style of Bauhaus and Italian rationalism. The building, in fact, has become an icon of modern hotel construction in the Alps. The roof ridge is arranged transversely in relation to the narrow side of the structure. The side facing the valley represents a vibrant take on the bay window motif and sits, plastered in white, on a two-story stone plinth − all elements of traditional Alpine design with a modern twist. The 2000 renovation sensitively provided the comfort demanded by the modern guest without diminishing  the hotel’s distinctive style. A noteworthy example of this success, above and beyond the consistent selection of colors and materials, is the spa in the lower level, which provides direct access to the outside area.

In the summer the lake of Braies reflects every colour. In the winter it is covers of ice and snow. Both as in the summer and winther it is the trail head of hikes, skitouren, snowshoe hikes and walks. Also nordic-walker are going to have walks in this territories. And everyone who likes to go to the limits of one's capacity can go to one of the three climbing crag.

Thermal Baths Although the use of the thermal springs that source here certainly dates back to Medieval times, the traces of the earliest thermal spa establishment only dates back to the 16th century. In 1856, the sanatorium of Dr. Johann Scheiber was built. The sanatorium was transformed into the Grand Hotel Wildbad at the start of the previous century. In 1939 the imposing building was put for auction and abandoned for a long time. Chapel of San Salvatore at the Thermal Springs in Alta Pusteria This Chapel, regularly inhabited by a religious hermit until 1786, was consecrated in 1594. A small sanctuary had already been in place before this date. The altar most probably dates back to the 8th century. The area was probably even an area of worship from a pre-Christian age. Highest point: 1333 m Accesible only by foot, aproximately 45 minutes from Innichen / San Candido

PARISH CHURCH, ST. ANNE’S CHAPEL AND CHAPEL OF THE DECEASED: St. Stephen’s Parish Church was built between 1792-96 during the late Baroque period and it contains frescoes by Franz Altmutter, sculptures by Nissl and an altarpiece by Martin Knoller. A Gothic-style twofold chapel dating from the 15th century is located to the left of the steps of the church. The lower part of it is occupied by the Chapel of the Deceased, while St. Anne’s Chapel is found above. A fresco by Simon von Taisten may be seen in the Chapel of the Deceased. Chapel of the Deceased open to the public: Daily 8-17.00

Welcome to the newly opened Pragis Park! This idyllic place offers both locals and tourists a wonderful opportunity to enjoy nature and be active. The park is not only a place to relax, but also an adventure for young and old.

A particular highlight is the new climbing frame in the shape of a majestic stag. This creative design invites children to test their motor skills and unleash their imagination. The stag is not just a piece of play equipment, but also a work of art that symbolises the connection to nature. Surrounded by shady trees and blossoming flowers, families can experience unforgettable moments here.

In addition to the play facilities, Pragis Park offers extensive green spaces where you can enjoy picnics or simply breathe in the fresh air. Hiking and cycling trails invite you to explore the surroundings and discover the beauty of the region.

Emma Hellensteiner (23 April 1818 - 9 March 1904)

Emma Hellenstainer was a charismatic host, an excellent cook and a pioneer for tourism in the Alpine region. The “Schwarzer Adler” (Black Eagle), as the Hotel Emma was known then, became known far beyond the country’s borders. Her charm captivated guests from all over the world. Visitors from Germany, Great Britain, Italy - they all came to Villabassa because of the beautiful local landscape, but mainly because of Emma and her engaging personality.

In the beautiful natural landscape of the Pusteria Valley you will find the game park of Carbonin Vecchia/Altschluderbach in Dobbiaco/Toblach.
Many different types of Alpine animals are only a step away: stags, deer, red deer, lynx and muflon, wild boar, pheasants, eagle owl, snow owl, raccoon, ducks, geese and many more.
Pure nature at your fingertips!
You can reach the wildlife park not only by car, but also via a leisurely walk from Dobbiaco.

More information:
Tel: +39 0474 972347
E-Mail: herbert.trenker1@gmail.com