Culture & curiosités dans les Dolomites

The Chapel of St. Helena is particularly impressive on account of its rich frescoes, a major work of the Bolzano school of painting from around 1400. Art historians state that these are closely related to the murals in the Parish Church of Terlano and the Church of St. Catherine in Aica by Fiè. The Niederthor crest on the triumphal arch strongly suggests that the painting of St. Helena – like that in Terlan – was commissioned by the noble Niederthor family. Concealed behind paint for a long time, the coat of arms was once more revealed in 1885 and fully restored in 1938.
The outer walls feature images of St. Helena, St. Christopher and a crucifixion group on the façade, while on the south wall towards the apse there are representations of Mary with the infant Jesus and the three Holy Virgins, Catherine, Barbara and Margaret.
Inside the church, vaulted frescoes in the nave show the four evangelists with their respective symbols, each with an excerpt from his gospel. In the apse Christ appears enthroned as judge, surrounded by the symbols of the evangelists. The series of the twelve apostles below was partially destroyed during a subsequent extension of the windows. The triumphal arch points in the direction of the nave to the story of Cain and Abel, while the intrados depicts scenes from the Creation. The side walls of the nave feature images from the life of the Mother of God and Jesus’s childhood: the Annunciation, the Visit of Mary to Elisabeth, Mary and Joseph, the Adoration of the Magi, the Presentation at the Temple and the Flight into Egypt. On the west wall opposite the altar are St. Helena, St. Sebastian, a proclamation and the Bishops Ulrich and Wolfgang.
The church is Romanesque in its basic features and probably goes back to the 12th century. The small, rough stone relief to the far right of the façade dates from the 14th century. In 1410 the church was re-consecrated following completion of the painting. In 1500 the tower was given its wide pointed-arch window; the deeper-lying, coupled round-arched windows were bricked up. The altar structure dates back to the first half of the 17th century; the altarpiece is signed “J. G. Plazer 1723”.
The Church of St. Helena stands, according to legend, on silver ore. An ancient tradition tells of mining activities in the immediate vicinity of the church: G. Innerebner lists the church hill below the prehistoric settlements as a probable place of worship and orientation.
A detailed description and interpretation of the frescoes appears in the colour guide “St. Helena near Nova Ponente” SB 21 (M. Frei).

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.

The long aisle in the monastery is impressive, with its many votive plaques. Maria Weissenstein / Pietralba (1,520 meters above sea-level) is South Tyrol's most-important place of pilgrimage. It is among the most highly venerated religious sites in the entire province. This place of pilgrimage has been served by good roads from two directions for a couple of decades, now. The one road comes from the Eggen Valley, via Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente and Petersberg / Monte S. Pietro to Weissenstein/Pietralba. The other road ascends from the Etsch/Adige Valley, touches Aldein/Aldino, and ends in Weissenstein/Pietralba. The stream of pilgrims has increased markedly since the visit here by Pope John Paul II in July of 1988. This place of pilgrimage – including the church, the Pilgrims' House (built in 1897), the souvenir store, the inn (built in 1708), and the parking lot – is well-equipped not only for devout pilgrims, but also for the many hikers who stop by here. Open daily from 8:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m.

The Armentara meadows, a natural biotope in which flora and fauna merge harmoniously, are a natural spectacle of rare beauty. By crossing soft mountain meadows, in summer you can admire rare orchids, silicate spruce trees, larch meadows, stone pine forests and more than 60 varieties of birds. The wide pastures are testament to the work of our farmers who have shaped the landscape respecting its delicate natural balance.

In winter the Armentara meadows are the idyllic location for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

On the site of a small workshop that was to be demolished, next to the existing barn, a larger studio and garage were to be built. The site was to change as little as possible; the new building was to enlarge the existing structure of the farm and its size integrated into the surroundings. The entrance is under the barn bridge, which is on the same level as the new studio’s gallery and thus establishes a link between the two buildings. The garage below is equally unseen from the street, as is the entire height of the studio − both of which are accessible from the courtyard below. The new structures were built of concrete, with an insulated outer shell made of vertical larch cladding. The roof is likewise made of larch wood and has a large studio window on the northern side. The interior of the workshop has been kept white and decorated with light-colored wood.

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.

St. Nicholas, the Patron Saint of miners, was held to be the protector of those in danger from water. In Eggen, it was believed that he protected the village against the raging waters of the Sam Brook and of the Gerold Brook. Until the curacy was built in 1681, Eggen was served by the parish of Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente. While St. Nicholas had the right to bury its dead parishioners as well as to read the Mass, since 1435, Eggen was ministered by a priest from Deutschnofen / Nova Ponente. With the establishment of the first curacy, this stopped, and in 1919, the curacy was elevated to the status of an independent parish. The church is open daily from 8:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m.

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.

 

At an altitude of 1520m, Pietralba is the most significant place of pilgrimage in South Tyrol and among the region’s popular destinations, especially since the visit of Pope John Paul II in July 1988. Highlights include the large monastery and its collection of votive.

The Mini - Star Trail is an art installation and at the same time a short themed trail that is specially illuminated at night.
On a short stretch of 105 m in the centre of Steinegg / Collepietra, we encounter 11 selected stars. Away from the sun, these are laid out in the correct scale. A light year here is 4 cm. You have to imagine that a light year is the enormous distance that light travels in one year. You have to bear in mind that light travels almost 300,000 km in one second. That is 9.46 trillion kilometres in one year.

But what is a star?
A star is a gigantic burning ball of gas. It consists of hydrogen and helium. When hydrogen burns, energy is released that we perceive as light and heat.

How big is a star anyway?
There are many stars that are significantly larger than our star, the Sun. For example, the star Antares is 820 times bigger than the Sun. In order to better understand these dimensions, we will find a comparison of the size of the star and the sun at the respective stations of the mini star trail.

Why do stars shine in different colours?
When observing the starry sky closely, we can also see with the naked eye that stars shine in different colours: reddish, bluish, white, etc. This has to do with the different surface temperatures of the stars. 

In the evening and at night, the stars on the Mini - Star Trail are also illuminated from the inside with the right mixture of light.
So it is now possible to walk along the romantically illuminated Mini - Star Trail in the centre of Steinegg / Collepietra in the evening and get to know exactly these peculiarities of the starry sky.
The Mini - Star Trail is also barrier-free accessible.

This theme trail is financed by the Interreg project Skyscape. The measures of the Interreg project "Skyscape" are supported by the European Regional Development Fund and Interreg V-A Italy-Austria 2014-2020.

Mountain cinema in the Val d’Ega

After an easy, short hike along the path [17] from the Karer Pass/Passo Costalunga, you reach the mountain cinema Latemar meadows.

Today's blockbuster is called "The wild mountain range on the horizon - the Rosengarten/Catinaccio". Visitors can enjoy the peace and quiet at the foot of the Latemar and the changing sky of a thousand colours around the Catinaccio. Don’t forget to bring your own popcorn!

The Sassongher mountain, 2665 m high, located on the south-eastern border of the Puez-Geisler Nature Park, UNESCO World Heritage, is the mountain which most represents the town of Corvara. From its summit you can enjoy a 360° view of the Dolomites.

The imposing massif overlooking Corvara is particularly attractive seen from the Campolongo pass.

For some years now, a bench and a large wooden panel with the writing Corvara, have been on the first curves of the pass where there is a particularly beautiful viewpoint.

Locals and tourists love to sit here and admire this Dolomite giant. Sassongher makes the perfect subject for photos and the ideal backdrop for selfies.

Look very closely and you may be able to spot eye-catching rock formations – the Latemar Dolls frozen into stone according to the ancient legend. Walkers can explore the Labyrinth Trail leading directly up to the Latemar Towers into the Dolomites – UNESCO World Heritage.

Sacred art is here surrounded by old stone walls: ancient altarpieces and consecrated panels from the 16th century, early Baroque statues of saints and religious paintings delve deep into the history of the Val d'Ega. The local museum in Castle Thurn is attached to the present-day town hall in a Romanesque tower dating from the 13th century, which was once used as a residence and, around 1341, for court sittings. In 1911 the residence of Thurn Castle was transferred to the municipality of Nova Ponente, which meticulously renovated the building and opened it to the historically minded.

The parish church of Nova Ponente, a Gothic building dating from the 15th century, has an impressively beautiful sandstone cladding. The inscription in the choir vault gives its date of origin: the cornerstone was laid on 5 July 1455 by Pastor Johannes Steel. Below the inscription is the coat of arms of the Diocese of Trento with the eagle, along with that of the then Bishop Georg Hack with its thin branch, also chosen as the heraldic symbol of the municipality of Nova Ponente.

The building was completed in sections, as suggested by the differences in the foundations and the sandstone cladding. Construction work was not completed until 1498, with the church consecrated on 16 September of the same year. In order to imagine it in its pure and original form, the new sacristy at the northeast corner and the organ loft with its outside staircase must be ignored. The interior of the church was vastly improved by the most recent renovation in the summer of 1975. The two neo-Gothic altars date from 1900, with a new organ installed in 1976.

Of particular note in the church are the four old relief panels on the high altar, showing the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, the Presentation at the Temple and the Death of the Virgin. The panels are from a famous large triptych, created around 1420 by the Master Hans von Judenburg for Bolzano’s Parish Church, as was the group of the Visitation on the wall of the choir. The main figures on the high altar – Our Lady of the Rosary and the church’s two patron saints - are beautiful works by the Innsbruck sculptor Dominikus Trenkwalder from around 1900. The relief figures of St. Barbara and St. Catherine as well as the relief panel of the Visitation, also on the choir walls, date back to around 1500. The sandstone pulpit from the early 16th century is held by Karl Atz in his “History of Art from Tyrol and Vorarlberg” to be one of the most beautiful of its kind in the entire land.

Old relief medallions of the mysteries of the rosary are inserted into the neo-Gothic rosary altar; the altarpiece was created by Franz Unterberger. Franz Haider’s beautiful nativity figures can be seen at Christmastime on this altar: his figurines and statues of saints are to be found throughout the Reggelberg area and he was a long-time resident of Monte San Pietro. The bell tower is for the most part much older than the present-day church. It dates back to the Romanesque era; inside can clearly be seen two rows of coupled arched windows that were later walled up. The tower formerly belonged to the old parish church of St. Benedict, documented as early as 1265. Today’s cupola was added in 1793 after lightning badly damaged both the tower and the church roof.

Another special feature of the church is that the pews have brass plaques, some with a rune-like mark next to the occupant’s name. These are the old house and farm marks of Nova Ponente. Each farm would use its mark to identify tools, grain sacks, logs and the like that were offered for sale. Many such marks can also be seen painted with red ochre on the outer walls of the church, now faded on account of the wind and rain. The impressive war memorial (1967) on the northern wall of the cemetery is by the South Tyrolean sculptor Martin Rainer, who was in 1976 awarded the Walther von der Vogelweide prize.

The Joseph chapel at the 'Moartalalmwiese' (Moar Valley alpine meadow) was built in 1897 by the Association for Alpine Hotels. In the summer of the years prior to World War I, a mass was held there every day. For this reason, the management of the 'Grand Hotel Carezza' employed a hotel chaplain. In 1976, the parish of Nova Levante bought the chapel. Thereafter, the little church was renovated and extended. Today, it offers space for 200 people. The renovated chapel was consecrated on the 18th June 1983.

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 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 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

The Gran Risa slope is one of the most technical slopes in the Alpine Ski World Cup circuit. With its gradient (average 36%) and curves, the Gran Risa represents a challenge even for the greatest champions. In fact, the greatest ski stars such as the unforgettable Alberto Tomba who celebrated some of his greatest successes or Ted Ligety, Michael von Grünigen, Bode Miller and Marcel Hirscher have met here in recent years.

The Gran Risa slope is one of the most technically demanding slopes on the alpine ski circuit. With an altitude difference of 448 m, a length of 1,255 m and a maximum gradient of 69%, it challenges the world's best skiers every year.

The start of the piste can be reached from La Villa with the Piz La Ila cable car and via the ski slopes on the Piz La Ila - Piz Sorega plateau.

The descent through the forest starts just below the junction of the black and red slopes of Piz La Ila and runs through the forest close to La Villa. Since the slope extends mostly north and long parts through the forest, it is in the shade for the entire day. This makes it particularly speedy and sometimes even icy.

After overcoming the steep slope at the start, a marked bend leads the descent into a steep, narrow gully. The descent then leads to a second change of direction to arrive at the finish.

If you want to follow the footsteps of the world's best skiers, such as Ingemar Stenmark, Mark Girardelli, Michael von Grünigen, Ted Ligety, Bode Miller, Marcel Hirscher and of course the most successful racer in Italy - Alberto Tomba, and try the Gran Risa, you should be a well-trained skier.

But it’s worth to try, the satisfaction will be great because Gran Risa means pure emotion and adrenaline!

Technical data of the slope

Start at:1.868 m (6128ft)
Finish at:1.420 m (4658ft)
Drop: 448 m (1469ft)
Length:1.255 m (4117ft)
Maximum slope: 69%
Average slope: 36%

The current parish church was dedicated in May 1967 after a 2-year construction phase. It is a modern church with a low aisle under a sharp, gabled roof. The parish tower (37 m high) is a testimony to the oldest building activity in the village. The foundation dates back to the 13th century. In 1741, it was renovated from the belfry upward. The tower was given its octagonal center and its onion dome in 1741.

The majestic Castle of Karneid is located high above the valley basin of Bozen at the entrance to the Eggental valley. The castle, which was built in the 12th century, was once the proud home of the noble Greifenstein family. In the 14th century, the castle came into the possession of the Lords of Völs, then to the later bailiff Heinrich Gessler and finally to the Counts of Lichtenstain. Today the castle is privately owned and is one of the most beautiful examples of medieval architecture in South Tyrol.

Apart from a few minor details, the original form from the 16th century has remained unchanged to this day, and this is one of its special features. The interior of the castle offers a wealth of beautiful architectural and art-historical details of great interest.

A guided tour of the castle will immerse you in history: magnificent knights' halls, an old chapel with valuable frescoes and mysterious corners that will bring you closer to life in the Middle Ages. 

The castle can only be visited as part of a guided tour.
Guided tours are offered in April, May, June, September and October. These always take place on Fridays at 3 pm.
Registration is required: +39 0471 361313
Minimum number of participants: 10 people

Admission price:   
Normal price: 7,00 Euro
Reduced price: 5,00 Euro (pupils/students up to 25 years, senior citizens from 65 years)

The centre point of the First World War ski tour is the symbolic mountain of the era, Col di Lana. The 80 km (49 mi) tour takes you around this mountain. Throughout the tour, you will find traces of the war: artefacts from the war era, trenches running right through the rocks, parapet walks and forts.

In Alta Badia, you will start in Corvara and go to Campolongo Pass until you reach Arabba. Via Arabba and Porta Vescovo, you will reach Malga Ciapela/Marmolada. From here, you can take a detour to Marmolada Glacier (3,342 m / 10,964 ft). The lifts at Marmolada are included in the Dolomiti Superski pass.

Continue with the ski bus to Alleghe, where you can explore the runs of the Civetta ski area. The ski bus takes you from Pescul to the Fedare mountain hut at the Giau Pass.  From there a two-seater chairlift will take you to the forcella Croda Negra at the Croda Negra Pass. 

On the north side of the Forcella Negra the new Averau-Troi ski track brings you to the Col Gallina and to Passo Falzarego where you continue for Alta Badia with the Lagazuoi ski tour.

For the whole tour you need approximately 7 or 8 hours. Therefore, we recommend to take off in the early morning in order to finish the tour in time before the lifts close.

The tour can be done either clockwise or anti-clockwise, and in both cases there are sections in the ski bus, the ticket for which must be bought on board, as it is not included in the ski pass. The counter-clockwise route includes an atmospheric section of approx. 1.5 km in which skiers are pulled by a parade of Norse horses. 

One of the most spectacular descents of this tour is definitely the ski slope that from the top of Lagazuoi descends towards Armentarola in Alta Badia, the longest ski slope in the Dolomites.

This mountain hut, located at 2.096m next to the cable station Oberholz in Obereggen, Dolomites, contains a restaurant and is located with direct connection to the ski slope. The cantilevering structure grows out of the hill like a fallen tree with three main branches creating a symbiosis with the landscape. Each of them is facing towards the three most important surrounding mountains: Mendola, Corno Nero and Corno Bianco. At the end of the branches a large glass facade frames the surrounding mountains from the interior of the hut. The sloped roof shape of the glasses takes his inspiration from typical huts in the area, while the branching roof and complex structural interior expresses a new and contemporary interpretation of the classic mountain hut. The interior is defined by a complex curvilinear and visible wood structure that gradually fades into walls and creates so called “pockets” for intimacy. The entire hut is constructed with wood: structural elements and interior in spruce, the facade in larch, furniture in oak - all typical woods from the area.

The Max Valier Observatory in Gummer|San Valentino is located near the provincial capital Bozen|Bolzano and is a gateway to the stars and a place where the fascination of the universe comes to life. Named after the South Tyrolean astronomer and space pioneer Max Valier, the facility invites visitors to explore the depths of the universe. The centrepiece of the observatory is an impressive 80 cm reflector telescope, which gives you detailed views of distant galaxies, brilliant stars and the planets of our solar system.

During a guided tour with the dedicated amateur astronomers of the ‘Max Valier’ association, you can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and discover the infinite vastness of the cosmos. Whether you have just discovered your passion for astronomy or are already an experienced stargazer - the observatory offers you exciting insights and an unforgettable experience under the clear skies of South Tyrol.

Important information:
A visit or tour of the observatory is only possible as part of a guided tour. Guided tours take place every Thursday and Friday.
Booking is required!
Telephone: 0039 371 6761428 (weekdays from 9am - 12pm and 3pm - 6pm)
E-mail: info@sternwarte.it

Cost of the guided tour:
Adults (aged 14 and over): €8.00
Children (from 6 to 14 years): €4.00

You can stop for a break at the neighbouring Untereggerhof Inn

Here is a brief insight into our observatory:
Observatory Max Valier

"La Roda", the giant wooden bicycle, can be seen in the meadows at the finish area of the Maratona dles Dolomites cycle marathon. The artwork, created by a local artist in 2016 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the cycling marathon, has become a symbol of the passion for cycling that can be felt everywhere in Alta Badia.

Bicycle events in Alta Badia:

• Sellaronda Bike Day - 07.06.2025 and 13.09.2025
• Dolomites Bike Day - 21.06.2025 
• Maratona dles Dolomites - 06.07.2025

This is where people, ideas and traditions come together to create village life. Whether for association meetings, creative workshops or cultural events - the clubhouse offers you inviting rooms to organise events and activities of the local associations.

Its central location in Kardaun|Cardano makes it easily accessible, and the functional rooms ensure that you feel at home straight away. At the same time, the building symbolises the cohesion and diversity of the local associations that make life in the region so lively.

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!

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 cluster of wooden buildings of the forestry school lies within viewing distance of the former Grand Hotel Karersee, appearing modest in contrast. An extension was added onto two existing buildings. The elongated building with a pitched roof is linked to the older buildings via a wooden walkway with a pergola. Despite the traditional style of the building, clear contemporary architecture has been created here. Well-proportioned window frames and entrances are paired with the horizontal wooden slats of the facade. On the interior the walls are plastered white and add even more brightness to the room underneath the transparent roof construction. The silver colored construction of the steel stairs that connect both floors to the foyer is particularly elegant.