Culture & curiosités dans les Dolomites

Located at 2,000 metres above sea level, visitors find true serenity and pure nature in the area of Prato Piazza. Thanks to its integration into the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park, the beautiful Prato Piazza area surrounded by imposing peaks, has been able to maintain its naturalness and originality. Far from car traffic and any noise, the alpine plateau fascinates with a splendid view of the surrounding mountains like Picco di Vallandro and Croda Rossa, and in the distance you can admire the Monte Cristallo and Tofane Mountains. Hobby photographers find the best of motives in summer and winter. You can sit down, take a deep breath, and enjoy the variety of nature, or actively discover the surrounding nature. Walking, Nordic walking, hiking, climbing or by bicycle.

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.

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.

Because of the proximity to the Dolomites front several military hospitals were opened in San Candido in 1914-1989 during the First World War. So many wounded and sick soldiers died there that they could no longer be buried in the cemetery of the collegiate church. Mayor Josef Baumgartner therefore asked the Imperial and Royal Borders Commando No. 10 to create an own inter-faith military cemetery. In the summer of 1915 the work was started and at the end of July the first soldiers were laid to rest in the cemetery. On 12 March 1916 the cemetery and the chapel were consecrated by divisional priest Anton Pircher and formally opened by Major General Karl Englert. By November 1918 over 700 known soldiers were buried there in individual graves, among them members of the Imperial and Royal Army, Italian, Russian, Romanian and Serbian prisoners of war and Bosniacs, as well as many unknown soldiers interred in a mass grave. When in 1916 San Candido was bombarded with grenades and Services in the collegiate church and in the Franciscan monastery church became too risky, Holy Mass and other Worship was moved to the chapel of the military cemetery. Between the wars the parish and the Italian War Graves Commission (C.O.S.C.G.) looked after the cemetery, and in 1927 a special Cemetery Commission was set up for this purpose. In October 1934 the State ordered for the Italian prisoners of war to be exhumed and to be interred in the ossuary Pocol near Cortina. Following the options agreement between Germany and Italy and after the cemetery was already officially decommissioned by the Italian War Graves Commission in 1941, 181 victims of war were exhumed and re-interred in the war cemeteries in Varna/Bressanone (92), Croda Bagnata (68), San Giacomo/Bolzano (11), Merano (8), Passo Pordoi (2). The remaining crosses and the chapel disappeared over a period of time and vegetation covered the levelled field of graves. Thanks to the efforts of the Franciscan Father Brother Siegfried Volgger, and with the help of the renowned Regiment "Schützen Hofmark Innichen”, the war cemetery Burg was restored during 2002/04 and the chapel rebuilt. On 28 August 2004 the restored cemetery was formally consecrated by Suffragan Bishop Dr. Franz Lackner OFM of Graz. The hallmarks of the war cemetery “Burg” in San Candido and its charm are its simplicity and cared for appearance.

“It is wonderful here and definitely invigorates soul and body....” so wrote Mahler during his summer stay in Toblach.

During the sommermonth between 1908-1910 Gustav Mahler composed some of his most famous works in this simple wooden cabin in the heart of the Dolomites: the 9th and 10th symphonies and the "Lied von der Erde".

“How can people forever think,” cried Mahler “that Nature lies on the surface! Of course it does, in its most superficial aspect. But those who, in the face of Nature, are not overwhelmed with awe at its infinite mystery, its divinity (we can only sense it, not comprehend or penetrate it) -- these people have not come close to it. […] And in every work of art, which should be a reflection of Nature, there must be a trace of this infinity.”

More informations about composing house
https://youtu.be/E82lce0YJIM

Information and requests for further visits: mahlertoblach@gmail.com

In his honour the town organises the annual Gustav Mahler Music Weeks, when the most famous and beautiful pieces by this famous composer are played.

“DOLOMITES WITHOUT BORDERS” is a unique mountain trail with demanding via ferrata sections that runs, in nine stages covering a total of 108 kilometres, through two countries, along 12 via ferrata and past 17 mountain refuges. It is deeply symbolic, not just from a mountaineering but also from a historical point of view. The route runs partly along old military trails by trenches and galleries from the war, and passes through the areas of Cadore and the Sesto Dolomites in the region of the Three Peaks (Tre Cime di Lavaredo) and as far as the Gail Valley in the Austrian Tyrol. There are also several places where the trail can be accessed: in East Tyrol from the mountaineering villages of Kartitsch and Obertilliach, in Sesto from the Passo Monte Croce Pass, the Prati di Croda Rossa or the Fondovalle Refuge Hut, and in Belluno from the Auronzo Hut, Misurina or the Valgrande near Padola. An adventure for present-day summiteers

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.

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

 

From its source in Dobbiaco to the point where it joins the river Danube, the river Drava is 750 km long. There is a miniature replica of its dimensions on the way from the cycle path to the source of the Drava. Every 1 meter of path corresponds to 1.4 km of river. After 15 minutes walkers arrive at the source of the Drava.

Further information on Dobbiaco’s Water treasures

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.

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.

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.

Water as a metaphor for music: An installation by artist Ulrich Egger outside the Gustav Mahler music hall in the Cultural Center Gustav Mahler.

Further Information on Dobbiaco’s Water treasures

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

From Dobbiaco in Alta Pusteria you can reach the Landro lake in the Landro-Valley, at an altitude of 1406 m. It is already in the Three Peaks Nature Park, so it is a protected area, and the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park is directly adjacent to its western shore. The magnificent mountain scenery around the turquoise-green Dolomite lake is known far and wide: The view reaches as far as the Cristallo Group in the Ampezzo Dolomites, and near the lake, in the direction of Dobbiaco, is the well-known "Three Peaks View" with a view of the world-famous Three Peaks.                                                                         

Centuries ago Dobbiaco’s waters were used by craftsmen and in mills. The historic melting furnace at the Klauskofel in the Val di Landro shows how people in those days used the power of the water to melt ores.
Modern usage of hydro power is demonstrated using the example of a power station.

Further information on Dobbiaco’s Water treasures

The Three Peaks are the landmark of the Dolomites and the nature highlight of the Holiday Region 3 Peaks in the Dolomites. The Three Peaks are situated in the Three Peaks nature park and in 2009 they were declared UNESCO World Heritage, as were all other peaks of the Dolomites.

The three battlement-like peaks consist mainly of dolomite:

• The Cima Grande measures a proud 2,999 metres
• The Cima Occidentale 2,973 metres
• And the Cima Piccola 2,857 metres

Among climbers the Three Peaks are one of the most popular destinations in the Alps, offering numerous climbing routes of various levels of difficulty.
Alpine climbers began to conquer these most important peaks in the Dolomites from 1860. Paul Grohmann from Vienna was the first climber of many of the summits of the eastern Dolomites. In 1869 Grohmann started from Landro and, together with Franz Innerkofler and Peter Salcher, conquered the Cima Grande di Lavaredo. With the construction of the Val Pusteria railway line in 1871 the number of alpine climbers increased steadily. 

The Three Peaks Nature Park visitor center is located in the Grand Hotel. It is playful and informative at the same time: touch, sense, and experience nature.                     

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

Prices:

www.burg-heinfels.com

See it, hear it, feel it, understand it ... The visitors' area in the new building of the Dobbiaco - San Candido district heating plant offers visitors an insight into the process of generating electrical and thermal energy using biomass.

Opened on June 25th 2005, the visitors’ area is the first of its kind in Europe. Come by and learn more about how the forest stores energy, about wood chips, combustion, the ORC module, filter technology, district heating and about the story of how the heating plant was developed. The visitors' area is particularly suitable for school classes.

guided tours: December - March & June - September: Wednesday at 4 p.m.

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.

Lookout platform on the western shore of the lake with an attractive resting place and a view of the animal and plant world of Lake Dobbiaco/Toblach and its zone of sedimentation. The viewing platform offers a great view of the mountains and the lake. Due to the numerous information boards, every visitor gets an optimal insight into the special features of Lake Dobbiaco.

Further information to the water treasures of Dobbiaco: http://www.drei-zinnen.info/en/dobbiaco/dobbiaco/experiencing-dobbiaco/lago-di-dobbiaco-lago-di-landro-and-dobbiaco-water-treasures.html?_ga=1.243384837.1489106145.1483110301

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 3 Peaks are one of the most well-known landmarks of the Dolomites and of South Tyrol. The impressive mountains with their imposing rock formations originated over 200 million years ago and attract visitors from all over the world. Because of their extraordinary beauty the Dolomites with the 3 Peaks have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009.

Landro in Val di Landro near Dobbiaco affords stunning views of the north faces of the 3 Peaks: these are visible only from the valley. 3 Peaks View is situated some 7 km from Dobbiaco. You get there on the road Dobbiaco-Cortina, or on the easy and popular cycle path or the cross country ski track. There is also a bus-stop nearby. Before you are the impressive north faces of the 3 Peaks, and in the South arises the impressive mountain range of Monte Cristallo and its reflection in nearby Lago di Landro. The majestic Monte Piano, one of the main theatres of the Dolomites War, is also visible from here.

Viewpoint to the north faces of the 3 Peaks
You reach the vantage point through a portal, which represents the formation of the mountains. It is designed in concrete made from Dolomite rock and refers back to the nearby fortresses that were built by Austria at the end of the 19th century to secure the border (until 1918 South Tyrol belonged to Austria). A wooden platform provides information on the nature and landscape and the history of the exploration of the Dolomites by mountaineers. Through a free telescope visitors can admire the panorama of the Dolomites from a distance. The rugged and distinctive rock formations are very close, and you can even watch climbers on their vertical challenge. A relief model of the peaks shows the most important climbing tours of the north faces. The routes are also added in Braille.

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.

Built with the proceeds of admission charges to Pian di Maia/Maistatt spa (digestive complints, 1511 visit by Emperor Maximilian I) artistic high altar with various different marbles.

The three wood constructions, which looks like spruces, inform the visitors about the activity of our forests and the possibility of the usage of the wood. The trees are accessible and with bridges they are connected together. The attraction is recommended especially for children and families, as it is located next to the playground Waldwunderwelt and is very quiet.

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.

 

One valley - one beer
Since its foundation in 1999, the company Pustertaler Bier S.r.l.deals with the cultivation of barley and the production of malt and beer for processing.The own barley, obtained from the Val Pusteria, in the first years - until the end of 2011 - greatly contributed to diversify beer.  

Modern water use, using the example of the power plant "Schmelze", is clearly visible before the eyes and ears.

Further information to the water treasures of Dobbiaco: http://www.drei-zinnen.info/en/dobbiaco/dobbiaco/experiencing-dobbiaco/lago-di-dobbiaco-lago-di-landro-and-dobbiaco-water-treasures.html?_ga=1.243384837.1489106145.1483110301