Culture & curiosités dans les Dolomites

The Bunker
A Cold War Relic in South Tyrol
Built between 1938 and 1942 as part of the Toblach defense line, the bunker was only activated in the 1950s under NATO’s defense plans against the Warsaw Pact. It was never used in combat, but espionage was widespread. Abandoned in 1993 and later privatized, it has housed the BunkerMuseum since 2017.

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 tiny church founded in 1744 by the mine owner, Michael von Jenner, is nestled in extraordinary countryside. The altar paintings by Franz Sebald Unterberger from the Fleim Valley are particullary noteworthy. The church is privately owned and the access is subject to a fee.
However, the church remains closed. 

Please do not enter the meadows surrounded by fence.

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 parish church of St. Peter was built according to the plans by Matthäus Wachter in the 18th century and was dedicated to the saints Peter and Paul. The late baroque frescoes were painted by Joseph Schöpf, one of the most eminent painters of Tyrol. The bell tower dates back to the year 1897.

The Hill of the Holy Sepulchre is the most beautiful viewpoint of Tiso. The Holy Grave Chapel was built as a baroque building at the end of the 17th century. In it, the suffering and death of Jesus Christ was worshiped. After the entry of Italy into the First World War in May 1915, fortifications were built here on the order of the Austrian Empire army. They should serve as a defense against a possible invasion of Italian troops in the Isarco Valley, if the Dolomite front should fall. The trenches and a bunker were built by Russian prisoners. However, the defenses were not used during the First World War. However, during the final months of World War II, the bunker was used by the village population as protection against air raids and bombing.

A fantastic experience for the whole family!

The Mineral Museum Teis is dedicated to the famous Geodes of Teis which formed thanks to volcanic activities more than 290 million years ago. Besides Geodes of Teis, there are also exhibited other alpine minerals (rock crystals, smoky quartz, garnets etc.). The collection is Paul Fischnaller’s lifework who dedicated his life to the minerals.

A short introductory film gives insight into the formation of the Alps and the minerals. In the well-assorted museum shop you can purchase books, souvenirs, gemstones and healing stones.

Join Paul Fischnaller on his search for Geodes of Teis! Every Thursday, reservation required.

The St. Bartholomew Church of Nafen was mentioned in 1307 for the first time and the building in late Gothic style was built in 1489. The frescoes inside the church date back to the 15th to 17th century. The winged altarpiece from the 16th century is exceptional. Because of the illustration of the “Holy Face” at the back of the altar, the church was a pilgrimage site for dental patients for a long time.

Already in the 13th century, there was a St. Mary’s church at Teis which, however, was destroyed by the heavy earthquake in 1471. The present-day neo-Gothic nave was completed in 1890 and consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The bell tower dates back to around 1500 and the great bell was cast at Innsbruck in 1734.

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

The museum is located in Hotel Mondschein in the centre of Sesto. It was realised by Mr. Stabinger with a lot of love for detail.

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)

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 architects' aim with the primary school building in San Pietro/St. Peter in Funes/Villnöss was to start a new dialogue with the village. The building complex consists of several interconnected building parts of different heights, which are arranged in a kind of semicircle around an inner courtyard. The buildings encase and protect the inner courtyard, which is used by the children as a playground and rest area. The structural details of this project are child-friendly and simple in design: the school borders directly on the surrounding meadows, the walls of the building are plastered white, and the windows and doors on the fronts have different sizes and shapes. The surrounding landscape "infiltrates" into the interior of the school and is reinforced by the alignment and opening of the windows.

The tourism museum in Haus Wassermann documents the history of tourism in Alta Pusteria.

On the first floor you can trace the foundations of tourism, the flair of the old inns and the many spas. Also showcased is the construction of the railway line in Val Pusteria, which led to the development of modern tourism. A separate room is given to the early development of Alpine sport.

On the second floor visitors discover the centuries-old history of the building. Some of the rooms focus on the history of the noble family Von Kurz and the Wassermann family. One entire room is dedicated to Emma Hellensteiner, Tyrol`s most famous innkeeper and hotelier. A simple chamber provides a glance into the working world of the servants.

link to the video

The artificial pond at Teis is ideal for relaxing. It is situated amidst meadows and a circular trail (suitable for baby carriages and wheelchairs) will take you around this pond. Benches and a fountain with drinking water invite to take a rest and boulders on the eastern side of the pond stand witness to the area's geological history.

The Bunker A Cold War Relic in South Tyrol Built between 1938 and 1942 as part of the Toblach defense line, the bunker was only activated in the 1950s under NATO’s defense plans against the Warsaw Pact. It was never used in combat, but espionage was widespread. Abandoned in 1993 and later privatized, it has housed the BunkerMuseum since 2017.

summer 2025
20.06. - 30.09.2025
Monday - Saturday: 1.30 - 6.00 pm
August 2025: open daily

all the year: groups on request (min. 8 people)

All the information and prices at our homepage!

Where once cable car gondolas arrived, a new chapter begins: the Reinhold Messner Haus is an impressive example of how the future can grow from what already exists. The former mountain station on Monte Elmo was not demolished, but upcycled - transformed into a visionary centre for sustainability, environmental awareness, art and culture.

This is where people, ideas and horizons meet. The Reinhold Messner Haus is more than just an exhibition. It is an invitation - to pause, to think, to engage in dialogue. Between old wooden beams and contemporary architecture, a lively place is created where past and future join hands. A house that not only tells the story of Messner's life, but also prompts our own reflections on responsibility and change. A place of quiet grandeur - the Reinhold Messner Haus on Monte Elmo. 

Brick shrine on the way to St. Magdalena which was build in 1636.

The unique tabernacle is particularly interesting: the Cross is made from a grapevine. The key can be collected at the nearby Gasthof Lamm.

Funes/Villnöß has managed to save itself from modern urban sprawl up until now. The rigorously modern architecture of the nature park visitor's center and elementary school, a design that had been set via an international competition, was initially very controversial. The result, however, has silenced all criticism. The cubic appearance of the two new buildings, with a flat roof above the Villnösser Stream, is well integrated into the village of St. Magdalena − this is true not only in terms of their size but also their color and the materials chosen. From the car park, you cross the stream along a very elegant, lightweight bridge and ascend between works of art to the two buildings, which have been set next to each other in a spatially sensible way. With a lively school and quiet nature park, this is a functionally differentiated place. Velvety wood and meticulous details await the visitor inside − all of the very best quality!

Solid, central and welcoming, in this new and attractive visitor centre you will find information and emotions, fun and useful insights into the mountains and mountaineering, the Sexten/Sesto Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the people and the history of Sexten/Sesto.

The building itself was built using sustainable wood, without glue, paint or plastic fixtures, but entirely from untreated larch and spruce wood that fell during the 2018 Vaja storm in the area around Nemesalm. The unusual form of the “Haus der Berge” was chosen as the winning design of a high-level architecture competition in 2015, and was finally built by the municipal administration in 2022 - as a long cherished desire of the people of Sexten/Sesto.

We are proud and excited about this extraordinary 'visiting card' of Sexten/Sesto. Please celebrate with us!

Open air museum "Anderter Alpe":

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 church St. Valentine dates back to 1303 and the nave as well as the bell tower are built in Romanesque style. Probably there was already a previous church at this position around 1090. While the majority of the frescoes inside the church date back to the 15th century, the oldest ones were painted in the 14th century. Exceptional is the Gothic winged altarpiece, an oeuvre by Hans Klocker from 1500.

In the Infopoint Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Zans is shown the long history of the unique Dolomites in a time lapse.

The rocks, once in the seabed, are now building peaks and are sloping, bent or folded. This is reflected in the architectural concept of the Infopoint.

Built in the first years of the 20th Century and consecrated in 1904. In Possession of the Hotel Lago di Braies/Pragser Wildsee.