Cultuur & bezienswaardigheden in de Dolomieten

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 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: € 10,00
Children (7-14): € 8,00
Children (up to 6 years and only if accompanied): € 5,00
1 Entrance + 1 Sunbed with umbrella: 16,00€
2 Entrances + 2 sunbeds with parasol: 28,00€

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.

The Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus tells the fascinating story of the cave bear that lived over 50,000 years ago in the Dolomites and was discovered in the Conturines cave, considered the highest-altitude site in the world where the remains of the cave bear and cave lion have been found. Visitors can also explore the geological history of the Dolomites, beautifully narrated through stunning fossils.

The Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus, an annex of the Museum Ladin Ciastel de Tor in San Martino in Badia, is spread over three floors.

On the top floor, the formation of the Dolomites is illustrated with unique fossils of great scientific interest, typical of the area surrounding San Cassiano.

Next is the section dedicated to the formation of the cave, its discovery, and the excavations that unearthed thousands of bones. All the essential aspects of the cave bear's life and its environment are explained through the Ursus ladinicus remains, dating back more than 50,000 years.

On the ground floor, visitors can explore a reconstruction of the bear's cave, where they can admire "the mother bear in eternal hibernation with her cub."

Accessible for people with disabilities: The Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus is fully wheelchair accessible.

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.

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.

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.

Together with the pre-existing buildings, summit station of the cable car and pizza pavilion, the new mountain restaurant forms a courtyard situation sheltered from the wind in the very exposed, protected landscape site.  The new building, however, crouches down, an elongated single-story building, and appears almost as if part of the site. The architecture goes against the usual style of a mountain hut: a wide, cantilevered platform roof protects the underlying perimetric floor-to-ceiling glass façade, which makes the building appear more transparent and lighter. Familiar materials, though, were used: wood terraces, wood furniture, as well as natural stone masonry for the kitchen and adjoining room area. Three timber-clad cubes divide the otherwise completely open floor plan of the spacious guest area, which feels more like a lounge than a mountain hut.

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.

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.

The valley along the Seres brook, in the mountaineering village Lungiarü, is also known as the Mills because of the many hydroelectric mills along its banks . Between the orographic left hamlet Seres and the orographic right hamlet Miscì are eight mills , two of which are equipped with two water wheels

At the parish church St. Martin in Hofern the longhouse walls are romanic, the vaults, the choir and the tower were built in the year 1473. At the inside there is a sidepiece altar which dates bach to the year 1520. Church is locked, information about the key at the tourist office in Kiens/Chienes.

In Rasun-Rasen in the Valle Anterselva-Antholzertal awaits you a fantastic adventure park where the main focus is on the theme of water. The Wasserwaldile consists of a variety of play elements and fosters creativity among children. Along a water course, you can feel and experience the wet element up close and let the freshness of the water have its effect. A small stream can be crossed on “wiggly bridges” by balancing on wooden discs. This requires a great deal of both skill and concentration. The two banks of the stream are also connected by means of stepping stones. In a separate water play area, new water connections can be constructed in open wooden water pipes. Assistance can be provided, in turn, by natural materials such as sticks and rocks, but also wooden water wheels and water seesaws. 

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.

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 Alta Badia Valley, which spreads over 16 km in the southeastern part of Südtirol/Alto Adige, lies in a sunny basin surrounded by imposing Dolomite peaks and framed by two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Puez - Odle Nature Park and the Fanes - Senes – Braies Nature Park.

The Puez-Odle natural park, measures 10,722 hectares and spreads across the municipalities of Corvara and Badia in Alta Badia, Ortisei, St Christina and Selva in Val Gardena as well as San Martino in Badia and Funes.

Part of the natural park are the mountains of the Odle group, the Pütia group and the high-plateau-like Puez group with the Sassongher mountain.

The Dolomite High Route no. 2, known as the "high route of legends" leads through the area of the Puez natural park.

From a geological perspective, Puez-Odle natural park is particularly interesting since all the rock strata typical of the Dolomites can be found here, such as Gröden limestone, Bellerophon strata, Wengen and St Cassian strata, Schlern dolomite, Raibler strata, Dachstein dolomite as well as Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks.

The Dolomite massif which splits off from the orographic core of the Sella and turns north in the Puez and Geisler group, has its outermost branch in the Peitlerkofel. Beyond that, the quartz foothills form the Lüsen caldera and the Plose elevation, whereas the Porphyr massif splits off from the Raschötz in the west.

This difference of geological structures result in this zone's diversity of shapes and landscapes. The grey and uniform Puez plateau's typical, tabular structure forms a contrast to the slim and bold shapes of the Cir and Geisler peaks, the Sassongher and the Peitlerkofel. This groups' sceneries are characterised by recessed, cliffy and austere shapes. Kilometre by kilometre, the eyes wander over deep solitude, a sort of moon landscape whose rough waves, grey pebble fields and white rock ledges which embody a harsh sterility.

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.

Permanent exhibition of paintings by R. Mussner c/o Stüa dal Te Raetia. The works are also for sale.

In 2022, on the initiative of the meditation group of La Val, and under the direction of labyrinth expert Gernot Candolini, a labyrinth was built in the centre of the area occupied by the former church of San Genesio. It is a simple Gothic labyrinth, consisting of five paths traced with brook stones. Many things here in Dlijia vedla remind us of the transience of life: the remains of the old church walls, the abandoned cemetery.

Memento mori - Memento vivere!

Everything passes quickly, and the moment never stops. So be present and aware, enjoy the view, feel the hope that lurks in life, let yourself be inspired and blessed by goodness and change.

"This place here is a place of power, you must make use of it" Dr. Karl Gruber, Regional Conservator

                                

If you love adventure and you are intrigued by the idea of trying new sensations in a breathtaking place, you can't miss this exciting adventure! The aim is to make you feel unique sensations and this for everyone, young and less young, families and anyone who wants to taste the thrill of this experience, feeling safe and in total symbiosis with our nature. Adrenaline X-Treme Adventures, a unique and unforgettable adventure. Thrill seekers can launch themselves towards the village of San Vigilio, hooked on a super-technological pulley, which will take them safely from one hanging platform to the next. The route has 10 sections for a total of 3,200 m. The longest span is 780 m and the highest point from the ground is over 100 m. With these dimensions, this is the biggest Zipline in Europe.

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.

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.

In this museum, Reinhold Messner deals with the final aspect of the conflict between man and the mountains; the heritage of the mountains and the people who have lived in them since time immemorial.

The fifth Messner Mountain Museum was opened in summer 2011 in Bruneck Castle by the well-known mountaineer Reinhold Messner. There are countless exhibits from everyday life. With the interactive "MMM Mountain Peoples" project, Reinhold Messner aims not to "exhibit" people, but rather to invite them to take part in an exchange of experience with the local rural population.

Every year guests from another mountain region will spend the summer in the Messner Mountain Peoples Museum and talk about their way of life, accompanied by everyday cultural exhibits belonging to different mountain regions and their inhabitants, including the Sherpas, Incas, Tibetans and Mongolians.

Ticket prices:

Adults € 14,00, kids (6 - 14 years) € 6,00, students under 28 years and seniors over 65 years € 12,00, family ticket (1 adult + kids under 14 years) € 32,00, mini family ticket (1 adult + kids under 14 years) € 18,00, groups of 15 persons and more € 12,00, school classes (6 - 19 years) € 6,00

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.

Parish church St. Genesius.                                            

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.

The "Ciasanöia" is the old tavern and was an important meeting point for the residents of Badia.

It is similar to a castel and was built in 1614 for the nuns of Sonnenburg (Castel near Brunico). It was the seat of this Domination.

Today the house is privately owned and not open to the public.

The etymology of “Ruac” remains uncertain. It may derive from the Latin rivus and aceus— meaning “rocky territory” – or it may come from a pre-Latin form rova and aceus, meaning “landslide”. The origins of the name Alfarëi are more certain, however, and indicate a place where aspen trees grow.

Vila Ruac is one of the oldest buildings in Alta Badia, built in a late-Romantic style and dates back to the medieval period. This type of building is characterized by its lower section, made of masonry, and an upper level in wood with a large balcony, which typically faces 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.

Nearby there is a small mill, as well as a sawmill used to cut wood.
 

Today, the house "Alfarëi" is a restaurant where typical food is prepared on reservation.

Old parish church St. Genesius.                                                         

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.