Culture & Sights in the Dolomites Region 3 Zinnen

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.

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.

In the shadow of the majestic Collegiate Church stands a building of no less historical importance with an exterior that has not been changed since the 16th century. The eastern part dates back to the 10th Century, when the Benedictine Convent, founded in 769 by Duke Tassilo III, still existed, and was transformed into a Collegiate Church sometime around 1143. The western part was built in 1385. Today's appearance dates back to the 16th century. The ornamental paintings around the windows were realised by painters from the Bressanone School around 1550. The rooms on the ground floor served as storage rooms for food supplies, while the upper floors provided the religious chapter's room, the library, the archive, the dormitory and the work room for the librarians and the masters. Today, the building hosts the museum, the archive and the library of the Collegiate Church.

Opening times
10.06.-20.09.2025: Tuesday - Saturday, 2 - 7 pm

winter: upon request 2-3 days before

Prices
single ticket: € 5,00
children up to 14 years: free

The church contains a neo-Gothic altar. The cementery is the last home of the famous Alpinist Viktor Wolf Edler von Glanvell.

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

These two chapels were build in the 17th century by Georg Paprion, a San Candido/Innichen resident. After his return from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1653 he decided to recreate the Sepulchral Church of Jesus Christ. 20 years before he had already built the first chapel.

opening times:
during the winter season: closed
01.06. - 30.06.2024: SAT - SUN 10 am - 12 pm & 4 pm -6 pm
04.07. - 08.09.2024: THU - SUN 10 am - 12 pm & 4 pm -6 pm
14.09. - 13.10.2024: SAT - SUN 10 am - 12 pm & 4 pm -6 pm

The station, designed by Wilhelm von Flattich, was put into operation in 1871 together with the Pustertal Railway, which was driven by the Südbahn company. From 1921 it also served as a separation station between the running in east-west direction Pustertal Railway and the Dolomite Railway, which branched off from Dobbiaco south to the Val di Landro/Höhlensteintal. However, in 1962, when the northern branch of the Dolomite Railway was closed, the Toblach station lost this function again.

As part of a total renovation of the Puster Valley Railway, redevelopments were also carried out in Dobbiaco/Tobalch in 2009: The realized construction measures included adapted platforms, an underpass and a new access.

Parish Church in Sesto/Sexten The parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Sesto will impress you with its artistic masterpiece, the “Danse Macabre”, carved at the entrance to the cemetery by the South Tyrolean sculptor Rudolf Stolz. Peter and Paulus Parish Church in Sesto/Sexten The church was constructed around 1824/26 and hosts altar sheets by the Venetian painter C. Dusi. Ceiling frescoes and the Stations of the Cross are a masterpiece by Albert Stolz. On the well looked-after cemetery, are not only the graveyards of Sesto mountaineers, but also wood and sandstone sculptures by South Tyrolean artists. The frescoes by the painter brothers Ignaz, Alber and Rudolf Stolz are very impressive, whereby Rudolf Stolz also realised the beautiful "danse macabre" at the entry to the cemetery. Furthermore, you can admire a baptismal font dating back to 1650, and the beautiful cemetery with arcades.

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 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.

Just like the innkeeper Georg Paprion from San Candido, also the innkeeper Johann Klettenhammer from Prato Drava, was a zealous pilgrim. Both lived around the same time, and like the outer church realised by Paprion, the Loreto Chapel realised by Klettenhammer also provides a testimony to Baroque devotion. The town of Loreto in Italy was a popular destination for pilgrims even in the 17th century, since drawings and paintings of its Chapel of Mercy can be found everywhere in Tyrol. Johann Klettenhammr brought back a copy of the miraculous image from his pilgrimage to Loreto, and constructed a chapel in the style and shape of the Chapel of Mercy - the Loreto Chapel - beside his house. The chapel was consecrated in 1650. It was struck by detritus carried by the flooding of the two rivers, the Mittereggerbach and the Mühlbach several times - the last time in 1965. For the inhabitants it was a miracle, that the chapel had never been destroyed by these miseries: hence, the Loreto Chapel became more and more of a destination for pilgrims. The fresco on the outside wall depicts the legendary transport of the house of the Sacred mother by angels to Loreto. Visiting times: daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The most beautiful baroque church of the Pusteria Valley, built on the foundations of a Roman and later Gothic church. Rudolf Schraffl, an architect from Dobbiaco, was commissioned to plan and oversee the consturuction works. The bell Tower, situated North-west of the main nave, was completed in 1804.

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).

History and stories from the castle and the region, an unforgettable experience for the whole family.

Prices:

www.burg-heinfels.com

Deeply under meters of concrete the modern history of the region is being presented in an adventurous way for every age in this bunker active to the very last days of the Cold War. The bunker reflects the conflicts of the region and offers a genuine insight into history. Interesting information about the course of the war is imposed at various stations, surprising every visitor.     

From the pilgrimage church in Santa Maria, via several stations of the Cross, a meditation road (built in 1996) leads you to the oldest religious sanctum of the Alta Pusteria Valley: St. Peter am Kofl. It is said that the chapel was used as a refuge for some priests during the turmoil of the mass migrations from Aguntum (near Lienz in Eastern Tyrol). St. Peter am Kofl was first mentined in 1329 and later renovated in 1987.

The location of the chapel on the highest point of the San Silvestro Valley, has been identified as a prehistoric hillfort. Pre-christian sanctuaries were mostly build in such high located spots. It is therefore possible that also the San Silvestro Chapel was one of the pre-german shepherd's sacred places with a sacrificial altar.

The 5 chapels (1519) representing scenes from the Passion of Christ. Together with the former "Görz" chapel in the parish church and the circular chapel in Lerschach, they form the so-called "Calvary Mountain" pilgrim road. The chapel was built to commemorate the fallen in the war against the Republic of Venice.

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.

Little Chapel with view to the dolomites of Sesto / Sexten The San Antonio Chapel was built in 1930 and is located at Mitterberg / monte di mezzo. Sebastian Holzer and his wife Anna Mitteregger constructed this chapel around 1930 as a result of a vow that the wife should recover from a severe illness. The chapel was dedicated to S. Antonius from Padova.

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 family Kiniger promised to build a chapel in 2013 and in the same year it was inaugurated. The chapel is situated in the Waldheim, nearby the Hotel Willy.

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 "Leitnstöckl" is one of the many plague shrines in our area. At the "Leitnstöckl" there is a beatiful view of the surrounding mountains an the center of Dobbiaco/Toblach. 

The hiking trail offers a wonderful view of Dobbiaco and leads past the Leitnstöckl chapel. The chapel is of great historical importance as it is one of the plague sticks and is reminiscent of the time of the Black Death in the Alps. The path leads through Dobbiaco and the sunny faction Wahlen.

 

St. Josef Church in Moos was built in 1679, you will find there some beautiful frescoes of Rudolf Stolz.

 

Built in 1735, at the site of a chapel dating from 1690. It is impressive because of the numerous frescoes and the pulpit with the inlayed Panels.

Exhibition "Traces of history"  the Great War in the old school in Sexten / Sesto:

Many areas of the Dolomites are in the process of setting up projects to enhance the historical testimony of the Great War. Sesto di Pusteria was both victim and protagonist of this tragedy. Sesto di Pusteria is the only place of Germanic language and culture belonging to the Austro-Hungarian Empire to find itself at the front line, undergoing forced evacuation and displacement, and then, together with other places of the South Tyrol, being annexed to Italy. This chance set of events makes Sesto an emblematic place to tell the history of this period, not only for the Tyrolean citizens of today but for all the inhabitants of Europe. The vicissitudes of the civilian population and of the soldiers during this extremely important moment in history have so far surprisingly been neglected, undoubtedly because of the upheaval following the end of the war and annexation to Italy. Given the considerable interest in the First World War that is now emerging in Europe, Sesto has unique and inestimable contribution to make. The Associazione Bellum Aquilarum (Bellum Aquilarum historical association) aims to save from oblivion the surviving testimony to this tragedy in order to preserve it so that it can be handed down to future generations, not only to the young people of Pusteria, but also to those living in places once belonging to the former Austro-Hungarian Empire that were the scenes of battle here. The tragedy experienced so deeply at Sesto and in Pusteria is askin to that of many other areas of Europe which were on the front line or which, after the war, witnessed the havoc brougth on by territorial annexation. The ensuing cultural, historical and political schism was immense; without doubt, these events changed Pusteria but also Europe itself, and today - in a European perspective enabling the age-old tensions issuing from the war to be overcome - preserving these memories can aid us in the construction of our common future.

 

The chapel was built in 1849 by the bricklayer Michael Kofler. It is dedicated to S. Maria Goretti - martyr of innocence.

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

More than 160 pieces of art by painter Rudolf Stolz (1874 - 1960) can be admired in the museums' showrooms. The artist learned by self instruction. During the first half of the 20th century he was one of the most renowned artists in Tyrol, together with Egger-Lienz. The art of Rudolf Stolz is characterised by the drawings of Madonnas. Special exhibition in the summer 2021: Amon e Fingerle 1906 -1940: Liebe für das Haus (love for the house)