Culture & curiosités dans les Dolomites

Saint Joseph Freinademetz, the saint of Alta Badia, is the first South Tyrolean Saint.

Today, the hamlet of Oies is a much-visited place of pilgrimage, especially the birthplace of the missionary Josef Freinademetz, who belonged to the Society of the Divine Word. The Steyl missionary was born in 1852 and died of typhoid fever in China on 28 January 1908.

He was beatified by Pope Paul VI in Rome on 19 October 1975 and canonised on 5 October 2003.

The cellar of the Oies farm was converted into a chapel and decorated with works by the artists Kollreider from Lienz and Lois Irsara from Badia.

Gigant – the giant, is a work of art in polished steel that was created by the artist Daniele Basso for the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Ski World Cup in Alta Badia. The giant takes up the skier of the World Cup logo and symbolizes the sport of skiing. It is, above all, an acknowledgement to all the volunteers who contributed to the great and unique success of the Ski World Cup in Alta Badia.

The artwork was set up at the Piz La Ila mountain station where the descent to the famous Gran Risa slope begins.

Alta Badia is a true treasure trove of wonders, containing masterpieces sculpted by Nature itself—from the most majestic, shaped over millennia, to the more delicate and ephemeral ones, yet persistent due to their cyclical nature. Among these stands out the snow cave, located at the foot of Cima Dieci, inviting you to discover a natural phenomenon of icy and pristine beauty, revealing the frozen heart of a cave adorned with impressive wavy walls, patiently sculpted season after season.

The cave continues to grow in size in the summer: the narrow hollow carved out by the stream is filled with cold air which is denser and therefore heavier than the summer air outside. This in turn sets off an inverted chimney effect: the heavy cold air sinks down to the bottom of the cave, giving rise to a strong draught from the top to the bottom of the snow cave. Warm summer air is now drawn into the cave from the upper openings, causing the cave to melt from within.

In the meantime, the warm is cooled by the ice and thus flows out through the lower opening as heavy air. This effect can continue for months, melting an ever larger cavity in the ice.

Access to the cave is officially prohibited. You may approach the entrance to take photos, but be cautious of the risk of falling rocks.

Colz Castle, also called Rubatsch Residence, is a massive building, which boasts a curtain wall with four round towers and many embrasures.

The castle dates back to the year 1536, when Ferdinand I allowed Hans von Rubatsch to build himself a residence. At the end of the 16th century the castle entered into the possession of the Lords of Colz. In the course of time, the building served many functions, like the one of a poorhouse. Finally, it entered into the possession of a farmer’s family.

Colz Castle gained some popularity thanks to the knight Franz Wilhelm Prack zu Asch, also called “Gran Bracun“, who lived in the Ladin valleys between 1573 and 1581 and was known for his cruel but heroic battles.

Finally, Colz Castle was restored. Today it is private. 

The biotope relaxing zone is frequently visited by young and adult guests that appreciate the three ponds, a lawn with showers, a bar with restaurant and a children's playground.

There are three small lakes: a small pond, a children's pool and a regeneration pond which was built separately, to ensure the protection of the regeneration zone during bathing season. The pond is purified mechanically, but most of all biologically.

Prices:

Adults: € 9,00
Children (7-14): € 7,00
Children (up to 6 years and only if accompanied): € 4,00
1 Entrance + 1 Sunbed with umbrella: 14,00€
2 Entrances + 2 sunbeds with parasol: 25,00€

At the foot of the rocky walls of the "Grup dl Sela" or Sella Group, the most imposing massif of the Dolomites, you can admire the evocative “cascades de Pisciadú”. The waterfalls, which can be reached from Colfosco with an easy walk through a large clearing, are particularly impressive in spring when, thanks to the thaw, they are rich in water.

 

The Coz residence is a short distance away from San Linert. The name "Coz" appears to be of pre-Latin origin and comes from the word "koltju" although we do not know where this word comes from or what it means. This is one of the oldest farms in the area.

The Coz residence we see today was built by the Colz family in 1604. The residential part was renovated in 1996/97. The Colz family sold the farm to the Winkler family from St. Lorenzen in 1695 and they sold it to Jakob Irsara in 1754 and his family still own the farm.

The house has a rectangular form and a hipped roof, along with two wings. The decorations in the house chapel are very valuable; built in 1613 we can see scenes from the creation, the life of Moses, the Crucifixion and the copper snake. On the external wall we can see two saints; St. Christopher and St. Florian.

In addition to the living quarters there are also smaller buildings such as the corn silo, the smithy and the fodder store.

The Coz residence is now a private dwelling and can be seen from outside on the route of the Badia culture trail.

The area around the Lagazuoi mountain offers a combination of hiking, skiing, culture and world history, in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, the Dolomites. The mountains of the  Lagazuoi - 5 Torri area bear traces of one of the most tragic events of the twentieth century, the First World War.

Do not miss: in winter, at the end of an impressive 8.5 km descent, the most ecological taxi in the Alps awaits you. A heard of horses pulls the skiers from Sas Dlacia to the Armentarola ski lift to get back to the Skicarosello ski area which connects all the villages of Alta Badia.

The idyllic mountain lake, situated at 2252 metres above sea level, lies in a deep natural basin surrounded by the rugged cliffs of the Sella Group. The lake can be reached from the top station of the Boé cable car in just 20 minutes on an easy footpath. Those who want to walk a little longer can reach the Franz Kostner hut on the Vallon from Lake Boé on path no. 638.

Sompunt is located between Badia and La Villa and was an important residence for the families Mayrhofen and Koburg (rich families in the 19th century).
The house was already mentioned in the year 1296 and it is painted with decorations dating back to the 16th century.

Today the house is privately owned and inhabited.

Father Heinrich Videsott was born on July 3, 1912 in Mantana near Brunico and died on December 9, 1999 in La Val. Pastor Videsott particularly stood out for his spiritual charisma, his deep piety and great compassion. He showed an unlimited willingness to help and was an ambassador of the goodness and love of God.

Many centuries ago, when Alta Badia was still largely uninhabited, La Crusc (Holy Cross) seems to have been a pagan place of worship. It was probably the unfavourable living conditions of the area that led the first Christians to construct a sanctuary here.

Around 1010 the monks built a chapel at La Crusc where a small church was erected in the 15th century. At the end of the 17th century the church was deconsecrated by the then Austrian Emperor and was subsequently left to decay. Pilgrims and valley dwellers rescued the little church by partially rebuilding it, and some years later in the middle of the 18th century it was enlarged and embellished with a bell tower.

For a long time the existence of La Crusc as a place of pilgrimage had been established on the basis of documents from the year 1511. And then two further parchment documents emerged with evidence pointing to an earlier existence. The first mentioned a church consecration; the second contained the story of “Morellus de Caninis” who made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1500 in order to seek favours for the La Crusc church.

Numerous relics are preserved in the altar of the church, such as those of St Leonhard (to whom the parish church of San Leonardo/Badia is dedicated), St Hippolitus, St Virgilius (Bishop of Salzburg), St Mary Magdalena, St Agnes and St Barbara.

Nowadays there are several processions to the church during the summer season, and there is an important service on the first Sunday in June.

The Piceplan Chapel was built in 1887 and is dedicated to the Mother of God.

Twice a year, the local people arrange a pilgrimage to the chapel.

Would you like to share the magic of the Armentara meadows with your loved ones back home? Why not do it in a romantic and old-fashioned way, by sending an illustrated postcard? We have prepared a special box in which we collect postcards that will be sent twice a year: with the first snowflakes and in early summer, with the first blossom. You don't even have to think about the postage stamp, we post it ourselves!

Alta Badia, also known as the Gourmet Valley in the Dolomites, has been recognised for many years by the leading gastronomy guides. And indeed, in Alta Badia you can find four Michelin stars in just 15 square kilometers.

And the best thing is: you don't have to go to the most exclusive restaurants to find great food. For years, high-quality gastronomy has been one of the most important aspects of Alta Badia's tourist offer so you will be able to satisfy the joys of the palate both, in the valley as well as at the top of the mountain and on the ski slopes.

Mount Conturines, located in the Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park in the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, is the highest mountain in the Fanes group of which it is also one of the most representative.

The hike to Mt. Conturines, in the Fanes-Senes-Braies nature park, starts in San Cassiano / Capanna Alpina. The ascent to the cave is challenging, the hike is therefore recommended for well trained mountaineers only.

On trail no.11 climb up o the Col de Locia towards Fanes until you reach the Gran Plan (great plain in Ladin language). Continue to the left on a slope of mountain pines and climb on steep screes to the foot of Mt. Conturines at 2800 m, where you will find the entrance of a bear cave.

The discovery of the Conturines cave in 1987 was a big sensation: within the cave there were found the fossilised remains of a cave bear. Studies of the bones have subsequently revealed that the fossilized skull, teeth, and bones found in the cave do not originate, as initially suspected, from a cave bear of recent times, but rather do belong to a cave bear of the Middle Ice Age. The Conturines bear was named Ursus ladinicus, in honor of the Ladin valley where it was found.

The access to the cave is allowed only on the occasion of guided hikes organized by the Alta Badia Tourism Cooperative. The fossil remains are exposed in the Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus in San Cassiano.

Church of St. Jakob and St. Leonard: the first reference to the church comes from a 14th century document. 

The bell tower is in gothic style while the inside of the church is in rococò style. The interior paintings are the work of M. Günther, executed in 1778, and make this church the most significant rococò monument in Ladinia.

Along the slope from the Lagazuoi to the Capanna Alpina, you ski past a very particular natural phenomenon.
In winter, when everything freezes, wonderful ice-waterfalls form on this mountain. They are particular, because in summer water flows rarely at this point.
The waterfalls are very interesting for climbers.

The late Gothic church of Colfosco, with the Sella Massif in the background, is a popular photo motif of the Dolomites.

The parish church of St. Vigil was first mentioned in 1419. In the following years it was restored and expanded several times.

Particularly interesting are the neo-Gothic lobby on the outer facade with a grooved and beveled pointed arch portal, the bulbous spire and the church altar. This dates from the late 19th century and is from the local artist Johann Valentin - Badia. In the middle niche of the altar there is an 18th century picture of the Virgin Mary and on the sides there are the statues of St. Vigilius and St. Kassian. For safety reasons, the valuable statue of St. Vigilius has been replaced with a copy.

The small highland area La Crusc/Santa Croce, located at the foot of the magnificent Santa Croce mountain, has always had a special place in the heart of the people of Val Badia.

A story that started many hundreds of years ago
Many centuries ago, when Alta Badia was still largely uninhabited, La Crusc (Holy Cross) seems to have been a pagan place of worship. It was probably the unfavourable living conditions of the area that led the first Christians to construct a sanctuary here.

Around 1010 the monks built a chapel at La Crusc where a small church was erected in the 15th century. At the end of the 17th century the church was deconsecrated by the then Austrian Emperor and was subsequently left to decay. Pilgrims and valley dwellers rescued the little church by partially rebuilding it, and some years later in the middle of the 18th century it was enlarged and embellished with a bell tower.

For a long time, the origins of La Crusc as a place of pilgrimage were dated back to 1511, on the basis of documents from the period. Two parchements emerged, however, and pointed to an even earlier existence. The first mentioned a church consecration; the second contained the story of “Morellus de Caninis” who made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1500 in order to seek favours for the La Crusc church.

Numerous relics are preserved in the altar of the church, such as those of St Leonard (to whom the parish church of San Leonardo/Badia is dedicated), St Hippolitus, St Virgilius (Bishop of Salzburg), St Mary Magdalena, St Agnes and St Barbara.

Nowadays there are several processions to the church during the summer season, and there is an important service on the first Sunday in June.

The legends surrounding the church

The building of the church
Many, many centuries ago, the inhabitants of Badia had planned to build a chapel on the “Col d’Anvi”. During the construction work however the workers kept injuring themselves on the wooden shavings. White birds collected the blood-spattered shavings and took them to the foot of the La Crusc/Santa Croce mountain. After a while the workers began to notice this and they followed the birds in order to find out where they were flying to with the shavings. Once they had arrived at the wonderful spot at the foot of the mighty Sas dla Crusc/Santa Croce, they were so impressed that they decided to build the church there.

The legend surrounding Ottwin, Count of Lurn
People in Badia like to relate how there used to be a hermit who lived at the foot of the Sas dla Crusc/Santa Croce. This hermit was no less a person than Ottwin, Count of Lurn and Pustrissa, or possibly his son Volkold, the founder of the Sonnenburg Monastery at the entrance of the Val Badia Valley. The legend tells how Ottwin had fallen into heresy during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Upon his return to his homeland in South Tyrol, he was unable to overcome the feelings of guilt over his lapse. He therefore decided to live as a hermit in a log hut under the crags of the Kreuzkofel and devote his life to prayer and penance.

The parish church Saint Catherine of Alexandria, mentioned in 1347 and consecrated in 1452, is the first church of Corvara. In the small church, built in late Gothic style, you can admire some admirable works of art.

For example, there are some frescoes and a winged altar dating back to 1520, the only well-preserved winged altar in Val Badia. The altar was realized by the workshop of Ruprecht Potsch and was restored in 1975. According to legend, the landscape paintings on the two panels of the altar are by the famous painter Titian, who was probably in Corvara for a short time. Art experts attribute the work to an artist from the so-called Danube School, Albrecht Altdorfer.

Around the church there is, as usual in our alpine area, the town cemetery.

This chapel was built in 1993 at a very tranquil place at the foot of the "Sas Dlacia" behind the camping area. It is dedicated to the Madonna of Lourdes.

The donations from visitors have already been used to build a draw well in Africa.

The hamlets are farming communities spread over the slopes of Val Badia at an altitude of between 1200 and 1700 metres.

They differ from typical farms in the rest of South Tyrol in their concentrated form as well as their basic structure and administration.

The space under the bridge leading to the barn and the paths that link everything together belong to all the farmers in the hamlet.
The surrounding field are divided so that each family can earn a living.

The farm houses are located one next to the other in the hamlets and next to them the fodder stores, the corn silo, the wood shed, the well and a small chapel.

In the 19th century La Val was widely known for its sulphur baths of Al Bagn in Rumestluns. They contained water which should prevent sexually transmitted diseases, scurvy, rheumatism, red murrain and others. A popular guest was the physicist and Nobel Prize winner Max Planck. After the reconstruction of the building in 1978, the baths were removed from the guest house because of their high operating costs. The source (silicic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen sulphide and elements) was restored in 2009 and can nowadays be used publicly.

The Santa Barbara church, built in the late Gothic style, was built in the 15th century on a panoramic hill just outside the village of La Val.

Historical evidence indicates that the church built in honor of Santa Barbara, patron saint of miners, is the work of the miners of Valparola, who worked the iron minerals extracted from Monte Pore.

The painting on the outside wall depictings a crucifixion in the open countryside and various mural paintings inside are of particular historical value.

The Santa Barbara church can be reached with just a half-hour walk from the village centre of La Val along the "Memento Vivere" meditation path, consisting of the stations "Birth", "Childhood", "Youth", "Adulthood" and "Old age".

This chapel in the hamlet "Rü" was built in 1973 and is dedicated to the Madonna of Lourdes.

From the villages of Corvara, Colfosco, La Villa, Badia, and La Val, the Armentarola/San Cassiano area (1,600 m) can be reached by ski or public transport. From there, a frequent and fast shuttle ski bus service (paid) takes you to Passo Falzarego (2,105 m). Passo Falzarego is also directly accessible by bus from Colfosco, Corvara, La Villa, and San Cassiano.

From the pass, the Lagazuoi cable car takes you to the summit of the mountain with the same name (2,800 m). Before starting your descent, take a moment to enjoy the breathtaking 360° view of the Dolomite peaks, from the Tofane to the Marmolada and the Sella Group.

Slopes:
Lagazuoi: length - 3.5 km, elevation difference - 600 m
Armentarola: length - 7.5 km, elevation difference - 1130 m

Times:
Line taxi Armentarola - Passo Falzarego (approx. 10 km): 20 minutes
Lagazuoi cable car: approx. 30 minutes
Descent Lagazuoi - Sas Dlacia: approx. 30 minutes

Taxi Service

• Hotel Armentarola - Passo Falzarego (10.2 km): €8.00/person (min. €40.00)
• Capanna Alpina - Passo Falzarego (10.4 km): €8.00/person (min. €40.00)
• Capanna Alpina - Hotel Armentarola (2.5 km): €4.00/person (min. €20.00)

Contact: +39 0471 180000 (08:30-17:00)

Horse Tow

• Schedule: 09:30-16:00
• Rate: €4.00/person

The horse tow will not operate if the route is closed or in heavy snow conditions.

If we take a look at Vila Ruac and Alfarëi we can see one of the oldest in the whole valley.
This is a late-Romance house in the architectural style of the medieval period, the oldest kind of house which can be found in the valley. What was once the hay barn has a stable on the ground floor and is characterized by a wide balcony, the "parincinch", where agricultural products were dried.
A short distance away there is an old sawmill and a mill. On the path leading from the farm to the old mill, which has recently been restored, we can see various types of fencing which were often used.

The house "Alfarëi" is today a restaurant where typical food is prepared on reservation.

The parish church of "Our Lady": the present church was consacrated in 1516.

Starting from the 19th century the interior decoration was adapted to the taste of the age. The exterior is simple. The Gothic altar was created by a workshop in Val Gardena, while the lateral altars present a marked style of the Tuscan Gothic.

The circuit crosses the 4 Dolomite passes - Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella and Gardena - and 5 famous resorts: Corvara and Colfosco in Alta Badia, Arabba, Canazei and Selva di Val Gardena. In 2020, the Sellaronda was awarded the title of 'Best Ski Tour' by the portal skiresort.de.
Alta Badia is the ideal starting point to begin the tour, which can be done clockwise or anticlockwise: either way, you will cross 40 km of beauty and enchantment, surrounded by the extraordinary Dolomite landscapes.
Clockwise the signs are orange, anticlockwise green. 
The slopes are suitable for skiers of average experience in good physical condition. For those who wish to do something more daring, there are some 'disgressions', such as the Gran Risa giant slalom slope in La Villa in Alta Badia or the Saslong descent in Santa Cristina in Val Gardena. 
To complete the Sellaronda, leave about 6 hours to complete the tour, allowing enough time for ascents, descents and breaks.

Some data:

• Total length: 40 km (lifts and slopes)
• Slopes: 26 km
• Ascent time on the lifts: approx. 2 hours - calculate that waiting times are possible
• Average duration of descents: approx. 1.5 hours