Cultuur & bezienswaardigheden in de Dolomieten

The Seceda area is located on the sunny side of Val Gardena, at the foot of the Natural Park Puez –Odle.

From the Seceda summit you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Dolomites and of all the mountains in South Tyrol.

Our area offers a great number of mountain huts and refuges where you can stop, refresh yourself and have a nice time.

Every single hut on Seceda has its very special charm and boasts a really distinctive atmosphere. An original wooden bench, a comfortable deck chair, a sunbathing terrace or a cosy "stube" - Seceda offers something for everyone. Skiers, snowboarders, hikers, paragliders but also families with children ... everybody meets on Seceda!

The chapel was built by the local "Alpini" groups and it is dedicated to their patron saint, St.Maurice. It was inaugurated in Spring 2004. Open from mid of May till mid of October.

A chapel dedicated to Santa Cristina existed here probably at the end of the 12th century. A Romanesque church was mentioned in a papal document in 1342. The bell tower walls, up to the roof eaves, date back to that period. The church was extensively altered and enlarged: the choir is in the Gothic style, and a polygonal ossuary was added in the 16th century. The main altar (1690, Vinazer dynasty of sculptors) is worth a visit. The bronze statue of St. Philomena by Dominik Mahlknecht, once in the ossuary, is now in the main sqare of S. Cristina.

The school is situated in the immediate vicinity of the parish church and the House of the Teutonic Order, and was built outside the old town in what was formerly a bog. Here the water table is only about one meter below the surface of the ground. In order to avoid a dangerous rise of groundwater in the area and thus circumvent repercussions in the historical buildings as a result of building the school, the structure was built on a “raft” 80 inches above the ground. Likewise because of the historical neighboring building, a long, single-story structure was planned that would not create competition from a design viewpoint but would, however. have its own distinct character. Under the wide, projecting flat roof and on the perimetric base plate a “forest” of tree trunks was placed in front of the façades, which allows for enough illumination but creates a solid impression in the oblique view. Depending on the viewing angle and light, the building differs distinctly in appearance.

Josef Runggaldier commissioned this parish in 1900 to honour St. Joseph as a sign of his gratitude after having survived an accident whilst working in the woods. A painting inside the church depicts the episode. The extension project was stopped in 1979. However, a new church was started in 1981 and consecrated in 1984.

One of the most beautiful viewpoints in Val Gardena is definitely the Seceda . At an altitude of 2,500 metres, you can admire the Odle, Sassolungo and Sassopiatto and the Sella massif. The numerous mountain huts invite you to enjoy a delicious lunch.

In 1917, the mudslide at Insom below the Pic mountain broke loose for the first time.  Two buildings and a barn were buried under the mass of loose rock, mud and snow. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. 24 years later, in the spring of 1951, the Insom mudslide threatened the village of St. Christina for the second time. The mudslide followed in the footsteps of the 1917 mudslide and at the Insom farmstead, where it dug deep into the ground, beams, floorboards and foundation walls (remains of the buildings buried in 1917) were visible again for some time. It was only thanks to the energetic efforts of the fire brigade that a major catastrophe was prevented.

On Wednesdays you can find our weekly market on the Town Hall Square in S. Cristina where they offer fresh fruits and vegetables, cloths and other. The market is smaller in winter.

The Seiser Alm is the largest high plateau in Europe (56 km²). It is located in the South Tyrolean Dolomites in Italy, north-east of Bolzano above the well-known tourist destinations Ortisei and Castelrotto. The Mount Sciliar and the Denti di Terrarossa bound the Seiser Alm to the southwest. To the southeast follows the striking mountain massif of the Sassolungo Group. To the north, Bullaccia borders with Val Gardena.

During summer, as well as in winter, the Seiser Alm is a famous destination for numerous guests. In early summer, you can admire the beautiful flowers that transform the plateau into a sea of colour. The Seiser Alm owes its uniqueness to the farmers, who annually mow the great meadows during the summer months with much diligence and effort.

Even during the winter months you can enjoy numerous activities, such as skiing, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The Tervela waterfall is situated at the opposite of the centre of S. Cristina. The creek has its source at the Sassolungo and after crossing Monte Pana, it falls 50 m and flows into the Rio Gardena.

The eponymous bronze statue were built on the "Raida dl luech" walk in S. Cristina. The project is the result of a competition backed by the partnership between S. Cristina, the Tourist Association and the S. Cristina Art Sculpture Association to embellish the "Raida dl luech" and to o emphasize the importance and value of artistic activity in Val Gardena. The bronze statue freerider was built in 2012 near the Cisles Street in S. Cristina.

From 1917 until 1960, the Val Gardena Railway drove through this Railway tunnel near the parish church of S. Cristina Val Gardena. In 2017, after works of restauration, the tunnel has been made accessible to history enthusiasts and people who walk along the Val Gardena Railway Trail.

On the interactive panels inside the tunnel, you can listen to the famous Ladin song "La ferata" or discover interesting facts, technical details and stories related to the Val Gardena Railway.

St. Anna’s Chapel | A small church built at the beginning of the 15th century in the Ortisei’s graveyard. It features a noteworthy portal and several ancient gravestones and memorials.

The church will be open only for special occasions.

One of the South Tyrols most magnificent fortress complexes, Castle Trostburg was built at the end of the 12th century and then enlarged and fortified in the 16th century. It has a stupendous late-Renaissance hall in addition to a vaulted Gothic Stube. This is where the famous medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein lived.
The castle houses exhibitions and works of art from a variety of epochs. It is also home to a collection of around 80 models of South Tyrolean castles, the work of Ludwig Mitterdorfer (1885-1963).

Information and reservation for groups, tel. 0471 654 401. 

The Sëurasas below the Picberg (2,119 m) is one of the most popular vantage points in Val Gardena. The viewpoint not only offers a marvellous view, but the interesting nature of the path also makes this area a special feature. The starting point is the Cristauta car park above S. Cristina. The destination is the beautiful large hand-carved summit cross of Sëurasas.
In winter, you can reach the "Crujeta" summit cross on snowshoes.

Due to its exposed position, Mont Pic is a wonderful panoramic mountain with views of the Sella, Sassolungo and Alpe di Siusi.

A cable car always means an intrusion into the mountains. For the fragile high-mountain landscape above Selva/Wolkenstein, an architect was commissioned for a suitable design. For the 2.2-km cable car, which has the capacity to transport 3,000 people per hour, three structures were to be designed: the base, intermediate and summit stations. The equipment rooms were to be situated underground to the extent possible, allowing passengers to step into spacious, glazed entrance areas that are covered by protective, undulating concrete shells. The smooth lines of the base station integrates into the terrain with smooth lines. The steel structure of the open intermediate station has a glassy, transparent look, and passengers are greeted at the summit station by the welcoming gesture of a concrete shell above the glazed hall.

Next up is the Dolomites World Heritage Cinema, where you can marvel at the stunning scenic view on the unique mountains of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Puez Odle Nature Park and the imposing Sassolungo and Sassopiatto. You can also use a telescope (or do without one) to see every summit, then comparing it with the wood carved mountains created at the S. Cristina workshops.

The "landmark" of the Cislesalpe is the Pieralongia, a small rock tower that broke off from the Fermeda walls at some point.A beautiful and peaceful place to rest, hike and marvel at.

An unique botanical attraction, the highest rosary of Europe waits for you at the Hotel Uhrerhof in Bulla. Discover the variety of 6.000 roses of more than 150 various species. A steep mountain hillside was transformed into a garden park filled with flowers and perfume. Enjoy the beauty of nature! From July to September every day from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. along the hillside at the Hotel Uhrerhof in Bulla. Dogs are not admitted.

St. Jacob’s Church San Giacomo’s Church, dedicated to the patron saint of pilgrims and travellers, is traditionally known as the oldest church in Val Gardena: its origins date back to the 12th century. | It is located right above Ortisei, along the ancient path, “Troi Paian”. From Ortisei you can reach the idyllic , sunny hamlet comfortably by ski- or summer bus or by car. Here you are surrounded by nature and you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. After a 15-minute walk (slightly uphill) you will arrive to the San Giacomo Church. Alternatively, you can start from Ortisei and take a slightly sloping trail (Path of Dialogue), which takes you to the San Giacomo Church in about an hour. Another beautiful circular walk connects S. Cristina (Plesdinaz) with the church. The current overall appearance is Gothic, and the inside is part Gothic and part Baroque. The church features remarkable frescoes (late 15th century) in the presbytery. Wall paintings from the 16th century, illustrating the legend of San Giacomo (St. James), decorate the area near the pulpit. The local wood-carving tradition is represented in the main altar. Around 1750 the Vinazer-Pescosta brothers decorated it with spiral columns, gilded images of ancient church leaders, apostles and angels. The current sculptures and artwork on the main altar are replicas made by local carvers. The originals are on display at the Val Gardena Museum in Ortisei.

GUIDED TOURS to the church weekly in Winter and Summer. Reservation and more details at the Tourist Office Ortisei.

Ortisei is the capital of Val Gardena, famous for its picturesque pedestrian area with great shops and cafés and its ornate woodcarvings.

This idyllic part of Val Gardena offers the possibility to enjoy the magic pedestrian area during your holiday with the breath-taking view to Sassolungo.

Shopping in Val Gardena is a fun experience. From ski suits to haute couture: you have a great choice. After strolling round the shops there are plenty of restaurants and cafés where you can indulge your palate.

Since 2000, the world's largest nativity scene has been displayed in the Iman Sports Centre in S. Cristina. The project is beeing carried out by a group of 18 sculptors. It was initiated in 1998 with the first statue being that of the Holy Mary with Baby Jesus. Creativity, sensibility, sense of art and skill fostered the idea: St. Joseph, the Magi, a shepherd, a donkey, three sheep, an Angel and a camel are now part of the scene, and the family continues to grow year after year.

The idyllic Lech Sant (Ladin for ‘Holy Lake’) is the largest mountain lake on the Mastlé Alm. The meadow at the edge of the lake with a magnificent view on the Odle peaks invites you to linger and relax.

A spherical equatorial sundial with a diameter of 2 metres is positioned at Monte Pana. Made of iron, brass and gold, ist is positioned on to of a 10-ton porphyry plinth. It indicates the true solar time for S. Cristina and 60 more cities around the world. It also shows the Central European Time, the current sign of the zodiac, equinoxes, solstices and seasons.

According to crochronologic analysis the Paratoni farm was first built in 1232. Despite the various expansions and maintenance works over the centuries the original foundations have remained intact. You can reach the farm with the Ladin farm crawl, where you pass by many mountain farms in S. Cristina, offering you a glimpse of a farmer's life in Val Gadena. This listed farmhouse has been refurbished to a high standard and made accessible to the public as an inn both historical dining rooms invite guests to enjoy typical Ladin specialities. Prior reservation required.

Along the 1.5 km trail, you will find a beautiful viewpoint with a detailed description of the mountains to be seen.

The residential complex is almost cube shaped with a low, pitched roof. It is situated on a through-road, next to a hotel. Due to the noise of the traffic and the lack of privacy a different design was called for: the concrete frame shields the south side from the road, the west facing side is mainly closed due to the proximity to the hotel and only the most necessary windows can be found on the north side. It is on the east facade that large, regularly spaced windows look out over an open space, as do the terrace areas of the roof top flats. These different, rhythmically placed windows leave a lively impression of the house.

The Resciesa Alp is part of the Dolomites - UNESCO World Heritage and a popular excursion destination for everyone. Hikers, families, hobby photographers, bikers and connoisseurs are taking advantage of this unique space in the middle of Nature park Puez - Odle. The natural park with an area of ​​over 10,000 ha is bordered in the north by Passo delle Erbe and in the south by Passo Gardena; in the east the area reaches Val Badia, in the west into Val di Funes up to  Val Gardena. The northern part of the area is dominated by the Aferer and the Funes Odle and the Sas de Pütia, the southern the plateau of Gherdenacia, Sassongher, Puez with Vallunga and the Cir Group.

 

The old Nives barn, in the middle of a sprawling tourist village structure, was to be preserved as a reminder of the farming past and used for exhibiting purposes. Through the renovation, surfaces were created in the section made of stone and in the solid wood construction of the barn. The interior spaces below were plastered, and those above were paneled with larch. In order to enlarge the exhibition space the barn was connected through a short passageway to a new structure, forming an elegant architectural contrast. A visually light pavilion, the structural steelwork, was surrounded on all sides by a glass facade. As a result, the building allows insight into what is happening inside and develops a dialogue with passers-by, who are encouraged by its transparency to visit.