Culturonda速 Dolomythos 12 ways to explore culture in the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites
Cultural Experience One: Read Directions for a tour through this brochure 1. Leaf through it like a picture book. Flip forwards and backwards – exactly as
you please.
2. You will notice that, in the Dolomites, the word “culture” signifies much more
than climbing mountains or carousing in a tavern.
Cultural Experience Two: Travel 3. Now let’s deepen the experience. On the following pages, you’ll find website
links and suggested reading to help you.
4. The map at the end of this brochure lists 40 cultural points of interest that
testify to just how tightly culture is interwoven with the way people
approach life in the Dolomites.
Culturonda® Dolomythos 12 ways to explore culture in the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites Mountain climbing was once seen as the height of impudence. Was there actually air to breathe up there? Mountain people didn’t generally consider going up into the mountains a fun activity − this was also the attitude in the Dolomites. It was actually the city dwellers that incited mountain madness. Soon, there were rather strange rope teams hanging from the mountains: the tourists gaped at the peaks while the guides looked for crystals and chamois. The former made the Dolomites world-famous; the latter made a living from them. Two hundred years ago, people got over their fear of the mountains, and the upper elevations evolved into a much-loved recreational space. Even the higher Dolomite valleys were explored and developed, grand hotels offered comfort with a view, and conquering one summit after another became a sport. Gradually, the Pale Mountains – a moniker that has been used in reference to the Dolomites since time immemorial – revealed their secrets and a multifaceted story and cultural history unfolded. Reinhold Messner calls them the most beautiful mountains in the world.
UNESCO declared them a World Natural Heritage Site in 2009: the Dolomites, a natural wonder in the truest sense of the phrase, evolved out of coral reefs over the course of 250 million years of geological history. This region has been populated since the Iron Age. The Raetians, Romans and Lombards all left their mark. During World War I, Austria and Italy drew their battlefront right through these mountains. The Ladin peoples, who are the oldest inhabitants of the Dolomites and South Tyrol’s third language group today, are really the permanent settlers, though: for millennia, the mountains have been their world − as God’s creation and the Devil’s handiwork. Hundreds of legends peopled by witches, wild men, and magic kingdoms provide a key to everyday life in the mountains, which has always been dominated by the forces of nature. Culturonda® Dolomythos is designed to deepen the unique cultural experience that is the Pale Mountains. For this reason, we have chosen twelve cultural themes. Culturonda® Dolomythos is for those visitors who wish not only to enjoy the spectacular landscape of the Dolomites but also to understand its people and myths. It represents a concise way to access South Tyrol’s multifaceted cultural landscape. www.suedtirol.info/culturonda_dolomythos_en
| Voyage into a primordial world: www.bletterbach.info
| King Laurin’s mythic rose garden: www.valdega.com
| Bridge between North and South: www.unika.org
| The minnesingers of the Dolomites: www.alpedisiusi.info
| Legends of the Dolomites: www.suedtirol.info/legends
| The evolution of tourism in the Dolomites: www.grandhotel-toblach.com
| The pioneers of mountaineering: www.messner-mountain-museum.it
| The front lines of World War I: www.lagazuoi5torri.dolomiti.org
| Colour takes centre stage at the mountain lakes: www.valledibraies.info
| The mountains, peoples, and languages of the Dolomites: www.altabadia.org
| Conserving our natural heritage: www.provinz.bz.it/nature-parks
| Natural monuments: www.valgardena.it
January
February
March
| January | February | March > International Dolomites Snow Festival in San Candido/Innichen and San Vigilio/St. Vigil: www.snow-festival.com > Ice sculpture competition in the Gardena/Gröden Valley: www.valgardena.it > Noza da paur (Farmer’s Wedding) in La Villa/Stern: www.altabadia.org > Country Wedding in Castelrotto/Kastelruth (every two years): www.alpedisiusi.info > Chef’s Cup Südtirol in Alta Badia: www.chefscup.it > Swing on Snow music festival at Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm: www.swingonsnow.com > Dé dl vin – Wine Ski Safari in Alta Badia: www.altabadia.org > Guided hiking tours in the nature parks (March–November): www.provinz.bz.it/nature-parks
April
May
June
July
| April | May | June | July > Bergler Weeks culinary festival in Tires/Tiers: www.tiers.it > Oswald von Wolkenstein riding tournament in Castelrotto/Kastelruth: www.alpedisiusi.info > Lessons in Ladin cooking at Sotciastel Farm in Alta Badia: www.altabadia.org > Alta Pusteria International Choir Festival: www.festivalpusteria.org > Peaks of Gastronomy in Alta Badia: www.altabadia.org > South Tyrol Jazz Festival: www.suedtiroljazzfestival.com > Musica Estate/Musik Sommer festival in the Pusteria/Pustertal Valley: www.musiksommer-pustertal.eu > Schlern International Music Festival (SIMF) in Fiè/Völs: www.schloss-proesels.it > Michl Innerkofler Mountain Week in Sesto/Sexten: www.sesto.it > The Summer Classics festival in Siusi/Seis: www.seiseralm.it > Gustav Mahler Music Weeks in Dobbiaco/Toblach: www.gustav-mahler.it > Valbadia Jazz Festival: www.valbadiajazz.com
August
September
| August | September > Presentation of the Gardena/Gröden Valley’s traditional folk dress: www.valgardena.it > Guided hiking tours in the nature parks: www.provinz.bz.it/nature-parks > Unika wood carving exhibition in the Gardena Valley: www.unika.org > Alto Adige Festival/Festspiel Südtirol (classical music) in Dobbiaco/Toblach: www.suedtirol.info/events > King Laurin’s Barn Hike at Carezza/Karersee Lake: www.suedtirol.info/events > Speck Festival in Funes/Villnöss Valley: www.speckfest.it
October
November
December
| October | November | December > Völser Kuchlkastl culinary festival in Fiè/Völs: www.alpedisiusi.info > Classic antique car rallye in the Ega/Eggental Valley: www.eggentalclassic.it > Kastelruther Spatzen Festival (folk music): www.alpedisiusi.info > Steinegg Live multi-culture and rock music festival: www.eggental.com > Kulturherbst (Culture Autumn) festival in Gais: www.gais-uttenheim.com > Cavalcata di San Leonardo in Alta Badia: www.altabadia.org > Christmas Market in Brunico/Bruneck: www.bruneck.com > Christmas in Castelrotto/Kastelruth: www.alpedisiusi.info
Suggested Reading The First World War in the Alps
Shorter Walks in the Dolomites
The First World War in the Alps contains a moving diary entitled “We are making peace.� Michael Wachtler Athesia Spectrum
The Dolomites and Their Legends The celebrated legends of the Dolomites told in prose with a touch of the poetic. Available in late fall 2012. Karl Felix Wolff Raetia
A fully-updated second edition of a popular guide to short walks, suitable for summer and winter walking, in the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy. Gillian Price Cicerone
The Dolomites The world of nature. Origin, story and nature. Andrea Innocenti Bonechi
UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites Published in 2010 by the regions and provinces that comprise the World Heritage Site designation. Available at all nature parks within the World Heritage area. Available also as a downloadable PDF file. www.provinz.bz.it/nature-territory
“The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. The World Heritage List includes 890 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value. These include 689 cultural, 176 natural and 25 mixed properties in 148 States Parties. As of April 2009, 186 States Parties have ratified the World Heritage Convention.” Italy, with 44 properties, is the country with the greater number of World Heritage sites. Currently only two of these are inscribed to the List as natural property, the Aeolian Islands and The Dolomites, while all the others are inscribed as cultural properties. In the Alps there are only 4 natural sites: Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, Swiss Tectonic Sardona Arena, Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland) and The Dolomites (Italy).
The classification criteria of the UNESCO sites are 10 (Operational Guidelines, 2008). Natural properties must correspond to at least one of the four following criteria:
– to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance (criterion VII);
– to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history (criterion VIII); – to be outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes (criterion IX); – to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity (criterion X). (World Heritage Committee) THE DOLOMITES UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
THE DOLOMITES UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
The Dolomites have been inscribed on the World Heritage List on the basis of natural criteria VII and VIII and recognized as “some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes anywhere”.
Natural Heritage
Cultural Heritage
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Die museumobil Card vereint zwei Angebote: The museumobil Card combines Mobilcard, die südtirolweite Mobilcard und two den offers: Eintrittthe in die which is valid throughout South Tyrol, and admission to Südtiroler Museen. South Tyrol’s museums. Choice of three-day or seven-day pass. Drei oder sieben Tage lang kann man mit der museumobil Card Information at www.museumobilcard.info
Südtirols Museumslandschaft erkunden und sich mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln fortbewegen. Die Benützung der öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel ist unbegrenzt, die museumobil Card berechtigt zu je einem Eintritt in die verschiedenen Museen. Informationen www.mobilcard.info PHOTOGRAPHY: Südtirol Marketing/Alessandro Trovati, Alex unter Filz, Clemens Zahn, Freddy Planinschek, Helmuth Rier, Max Lautenschläger, Othmar Seehauser, Stefano Scatà, Valentin Pardeller; Alta Pusteria Tourist Bureau/Martin Schönegger, Hermann Oberhofer; Bolzano and Environs Tourist Bureau/Tappeiner; Alpe di Siusi Marketing/Till Gottbrath; Puez-Odle Nature Park/Paul Ott; Bellum Aquilarum | COVER: Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Drei Zinnen) Peaks, UNESCO World Natural FOTOGRAFIE: Amt für Naturparke, Oberhofer,Claudia Robert Perathoner-fotostudio Prodigit,Han Viti Heritage | TEXTS: Angela Archiv De Simine, Gabriele CrepazHermann | TRANSLATIONS: Bonacquisti-Lerch, Cassandra Hans Pescoller, Pepi Rehmann, Helmuth Rier, Mara Schwingshackl, PRINT: Karo Druck Südtirol Marketing/Stefano Zardini, Südtirol Marketing/Alessandro Trovati TEXTE: ÜBERSETZUNG: DRUCK:
Angela De Simine, Gabriele Crepaz Claudia Bonacquisti-Lerch Longo AG / Bozen
Dolomythos Enrosadira Trade Routes
CulturondaÂŽ Dolomythos 12 ways to explore culture in the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites
Oswald von Wolkenstein Myths and Legends Postcard Greetings The Call of the Mountains Mountain Front Wild Waters Gens Ladina Masterpieces of Nature Nature Parks – UNESCO World Heritage
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www.suedtirol.info/gettingthere Südtirol Map – Standard Getting There
Duration of Tour/Hike ´ Ciastel de Tor Ladin Museum: 1.5 hours Hike to the Viles of La Villa (starting at the bus stop): 2.5 hours Ladin culture hike in Selva di Gardena: 3 hours
Relaxing Holidays 30 four-star spa hotels focusing on wellness, fitness, beauty & healthy cuisine: www.belvita.it South Tyrol Vitalpina Hotels 36 specialists for active holidays: www.vitalpina.info
Exhilarating Days – Relaxing Nights
Fiscalina/Fischleintal Valley. Above the verdant valley floor, the starting point for the hike to the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the rocky walls of this World Natural Heritage site almost form a bulwark for the pristine nature of the valley.
Lodging For a comprehensive database of lodging in South Tyrol, including those that accept online bookings, please visit: www.suedtirol.info
Points of Interest
>> The majestic peaks of the Sexten Dolomites frame the landscape of the
South Tyrol Family Hotels 27 specialists in family-friendly holidays: www.familienhotels.com
Masterpieces of Nature The Voices of Silence The three peaks of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, known as the the Drei Zinnen in German, consist of layered Dolomia Principale Formation rock and were created, through erosion, out of a single huge boulder. They are witnesses to the shallows that once existed here, with extensive algal mats. Large bivalves, called Megalodon, lived in the slightly deeper water and can be observed today as fossils in the rock. The Sella Massif, on the other hand, is a stone castle with spectacular forms that are different from every side. People say that it is a huge, majestic island that rises towards the sky. Around 230 million years ago, a small part of it rose from the primordial Tethys Sea: this small atoll had two volcanoes, Predazzo and Monzoni, which spat out lava and tuff.
Farm Holidays Official portal for farm holidays in South Tyrol: www.redrooster.it
Addresses ´ Ciastel de Tor Museum Ladin, San Martino in Badia (St. Martin in Thurn): Tel. +39 0474 524 020 · www.museumladin.it La Villa Tourist Association, phone: +39 0471 847 037 · www.altabadia.org Institut Ladin Micurà de Rü, San Martino in Badia, phone: +39 0474 523 110 · www.micura.it Wolkenstein Tourist Association, phone: +39 0471 777 900 · www.valgardena-active.com
Good and convenient Good and convenient lodging with a maximum capacity of 15 rooms or apartments: www.southtyrolbudget.com
>> The pastures of the Sciliar/Schlern high plateau are almost impossibly green for such an altitude. This is due to the marl in the Raibler layers that cover the Dolomites in many spots.
MMM Ripa in Brunico
The Call of the Mountains Wings of Freedom Up until the eighteenth century, the Dolomites were regarded as “horrible mountains”: mountaineers discovered them out of the blue, and the Pale Mountains began their conquest of Europe. Big climbers like John Ball and Paul Grohmann made them stars. The latter described his climbs and the spectacular valleys of Ampezzo and Hochpustertal in his book Wanderungen in den Dolomiten, the publication of which brought droves of tourists. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the first pioneers of alpine tourism likewise discovered Alta Badia Valley. The legendary mountaineer Sepp Innerkofler brought momentum into the Sexten Valley and a whole generation of climbers learnt from him. Points of Interest >> Messner Mountain Museum, founded by Reinhold Messner, addresses mountain-related themes at five locations in South Tyrol and Belluno. MMM Firmian, located inside Firmiano/Sigmundskron Castle south of Bolzano, forms the nucleus of the museum group. MMM Ripa at Brunico/Bruneck Castle focusses on the everyday culture of mountain peoples. All of the exhibits are from Messner’s private collection. >> Luis Trenker, who was an actor, director and mountaineer, is considered to be a pioneer of mountain film: in the 1920s and 1930s, the Dolomites played a leading role in his films. The whole of Trenker’s estate is housed at the Gherdëina Museum. At selected locations in Val Gardena, you’ll find wooden columns with little holes through which you can view the same setting that Trenker’s camera once captured. >> The Innerkofler brothers, who were born in Sesto, were indefatigable mountaineers, mountain guides and mountain-refuge proprietors, and opened many routes on the Tre Cime/Drei Zinnen Peaks.
Of Lakes, Springs, Waterfalls, and Mills Melting snow and heavy rainfall feed the wellsprings that, in turn, give rise to rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. Lakes Braies and Carezza sparkle like little pieces of sky. Their water is sometimes deep blue, sometimes light green, and reflects the clouds and rocks around the lakes. Man built mills along the courses of streams and rivers in order to harness the water’s immense power. When rivers must negotiate a vertical drop, a waterfall comes into being. Where water crashes down through a narrow gorge, a cloud of tiny droplets forms a canvas onto which the sun conjures a rainbow. Points of Interest >> Lago di Braies, known as Pragser Wildsee in German and located in the Braies/ Pragser Valley, is the largest lake in the Alta Pusteria Valley. This lake is a jewel set into the surrounding rock faces; its emerald waters reflect the Croda del Becco/Seekofel Massif. >> The history of the therapeutic baths of San Candido/Innichen goes all the way back to Roman times; they were first documented in 1586. In 1856, a spa hotel was built; only ruins are left today. Nearby, there are five mineral water springs: water from three of these springs − Imperatore, Lavaredo, and Candida − is collected and bottled. >> If you start off from Longiarù and follow signs for Val di Morins, you’ll reach a place along the Seres River known as Valle dei Molini/Mühlental or Valley of the Mills. Nine water mills, which have been restored and are functioning, show how people used water in the olden days.
Duration of Tour/Hike Walk around Lago di Braies/Pragser Wildsee: 1 hour Walk from San Candido/Innichen to the ruins of the spa hotel: 1.5 hours Hike to Valle dei Molini/Mühlental: 2.5 hours Addresses Braies Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 748 660 · www.valledibraies.info San Candido Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 913 149 · www.sancandido.info San Martino in Badia Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 523 175 · www.sanmartin.it
Duration of Tour/Hike MMM – Messner Mountain Museum: 1 to 3 hours per museum; 2 to 3 days for all five museums Gherdëina Museum: 1.5 hours Hike around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo/Drei Zinnen peaks: full day Addresses Messner Mountain Museum (MMM): www.messner-mountain-museum.it MMM Sigmundskron Castle, Bolzano/Bozen, phone: +39 0471 631 264 MMM Ripa, Bruneck Castle, Brunico/Bruneck, phone: +39 0474 410 220 Gherdëina Museum, Ortisei, phone: +39 0471 797 554 · www.museumgherdeina.it Val Gardena Tourist Bureau, S. Cristina, phone: +39 0471 777 777 · www.valgardena.it Alta Pusteria Tourist Bureau, Dobbiaco, phone: +39 0474 913 156 · www.altapusteria.info
>> The sparse vegetation and volcano-like Côl dala Sonê Mountain at its centre make the Puez−Gardenaccia Plateau in Alta Badia Valley reminiscent of a lunar landscape. There is a trail to the plateau that starts at the village of La Villa/Stern that we highly recommend, but only to skilled hikers.
Duration of Tour/Hike From Sesto/Sexten in Val Fiscalina to Tre Cime: 3 to 4 hours From La Villa to the Puez-Gardenaccia Plateau: full day From Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm to the Sciliar Massif: full day Addresses Alta Pusteria Tourist Bureau, Dobbiaco, phone: +39 0474 913 156 · www.altapusteria.info Seiser Alm Tourist Bureau, Fiè allo Sciliar, phone: +39 0471 725 047 · www.alpedisiusi.info Alta Badia Tourist Bureau, Corvara, phone: +39 0471 836 176 · www.altabadia.org
UNESCO World Heritage South Tyrol’s Nature Parks In 2009, UNESCO placed large parts of the Dolomites on its list of World Heritage Sites. This status goes hand in hand with a comprehensive protection order for the whole of humanity. At the same time, the title honours South Tyrol’s current conservation practices. Seventeen per cent of South Tyrol’s land is protected within the province’s seven nature parks, four of which are located in the Dolomites. Well-known peaks and pristine meadows characterise the nature of the protected areas. Extensive alpine pastureland and forests, on the other hand, are part of the cultural assets and history of the individual mountain regions. The value of the nature park lies also in its contribution to research and environmental education. Ecologically sound recreational options enhance the experience of nature and encourage environmentally friendly behaviour. Points of Interest >> Sciliar-Catinaccio/Schlern-Rosengarten Nature Park: old cultures and new insights. The Sciliar Massif is the emblem of the park – and of South Tyrol. Prehistoric finds, which were discovered in 1945 on the peak of the plateau, are evidence that the spot was chosen as a site of worship. >> Puez-Odle/Puez-Geisler Nature Park: a history book of the earth. This park is home to a wonderful world of fossils, shells, coral, karst zones, scree deposits, and eroded valleys. Vallunga/Langental is simply enchanting: the valley, which was cut by a glacier, leads into the heart of the park from the village of Selva/Wolkenstein. >> Fanes-Senes-Braies/Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park: into the realm of the animals. Wide plateaus and majestic massifs form a habitat for deer, chamois, eagles and grouse. The bones of a cave bear were found in 1987 in a deep cave on Mount Conturines. >> Tre Cime di Lavaredo Nature Park: the solitude of great stature. Legendary mountains such as the Tre Cime/Drei Zinnen Peaks and the Sesto/Sexten Sundial are forever linked to the pioneers of mountaineering. Duration of Tour/Hike From Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm to the Bozner Hütte mountain hut: full day Around Sas de Putia/Peitlerkofel Mountain: full day To the Prato Piazza/Plätzwiese alpine pasture in Braies/Prags: half day To San Candido/Innichen in Campo di Dentro/Innerfeldtal Valley: half day Address Office of Nature Parks, Bolzano/Bozen, phone: +39 0471 417 770 · www.provinz.bz.it/nature-parks
Lake Braies
12 ways to explore culture in the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites
Wild Waters
Culturonda® Dolomythos
Addresses Seiser Alm Tourist Bureau, Fiè allo Sciliar, phone: +39 0471 725 047 · www.alpedisiusi.info San Vigilio di Marebbe Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 501 037 · www.sanvigilio.com Eggental Valley Tourist Association, Nova Levante/Welschnofen, phone: +39 0471 619 500 www.valdega.com
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Duration of Tour/Hike Around Bullaccia Mountain, starting at Compaccio/Kompatsch: 2 hours Legends of the Fanes themed trail, starting from San Vigilio/St. Vigil: 1 hour From San Vigilio to the Parliament of the Marmots: full day Walk around Lake Carezza/Karersee: 30 minutes
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there are stone formations called Witches’ Chairs or Witches’ Benches, where it is said that witches once gathered for their dances and revels. >> The Legends of the Fanes themed trail starts at the Aqua Bad Cortina Hotel in San Vigilio/St. Vigil: eleven stations narrate the national epic of the Ladin people. The Fanes people allied themselves with the marmots for all eternity. A terraced natural amphitheatre at Pices Fanes is known as the Parliament of the Marmots. >> The water of Lake Carezza/Karersee shimmers – the result of magic and unrequited love. A warlock tried to woo a mermaid in the lake using a rainbow. The beauty disappeared underwater forever, though, and the sorcerer smashed the arc of colours into the lake.
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Points of Interest
>> Atop the Sciliar/Schlern Massif and at the lookout point Bullaccia/Puflatsch,
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Addresses Eggental Valley Tourist Association, Nova Levante/Welschnofen, phone: +39 0471 619 500 · www.valdega.com Alta Badia Tourist Bureau, San Cassiano, phone: +39 0471 849 422 · www.altabadia.org Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park House, San Vigilio/St. Vigil, phone: +39 0474 506 120 www.suedtirol.info/dolomites
Addresses WW I Museum at Monte Piana, Misurina, phone: +39 338 52 82 447 · www.montepiana.com Bellum Aquilarum, Sesto/Sexten, phone: +39 389 05 72 380 · www.bellumaquilarum.com Sesto Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 710 310 · www.sesto.it Alta Badia Tourist Bureau, Corvara, phone: 0471 836 176 · www.altabadia.org Lagazuoi 5 Torri Turismo, Cortina, phone: +39 0436 28 63 · www.lagazuoi5torri.dolomiti.org Dobbiaco Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 972 132 · www.dobbiaco.info Bruneck Kronplatz Tourist Association, phone: +39 0474 555 722 · www.bruneck.com
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Duration of Tour/Hike From Schlern-Rosengarten Nature Park House to Wuhnleger Pond: 1 hour Lärchensteig Nature Trail: 1 hour From San Leonardo/Sankt Leonhard to the pastures of Armentara Mountain and La Crusc: full day
Duration of Tour/Hike WWI museums at Monte Piana, Croda Rossa and Lagazuoi: full day Nasswand War Cemetery, Val di Landro, Dobbiaco: 30 minutes Brunico War Cemetery: 30 minutes
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Nova Ponente/Deutschnofen, Tires/Tiers, and Collepietra/Steinegg. One of the best spots for viewing this phenomenon is Wuhnleger Pond in Tires. >> The Lärchensteig Nature Trail in San Cassiano/St. Kassian, Alta Badia, leads from Rü Farm to Rudiferia Farm. Hikers will find a recently restored and functioning water mill as well. >> Sas dla Crusc Mountain, with its unique atmosphere in the bright summer eve nings, towers majestically above Badia/Abtei in Val Badia. At the foot of the mountain, you’ll find the La Crusc pilgrimage church, also known as Heiligkreuz.
Myths and Legends The World of the Dolomite Legends A very long time ago, before human beings arrived in the Dolomites, there were wild gnomes, dwarves, and elves that were able to assume different appearances inhabiting these mountains. Other mysterious beings such as undines, water sprites, and nymphs once lived among the glittering and polychromatic rocks at the bottom of lakes and rivers. Their doings, which take place within a parallel fantastical world of myths and legends as old as man’s imagination, testify to the cultural richness of the Dolomites and to the magic that forms an integral part of mountain life. This veritable treasure of myths is still waiting to be discovered. In fact, no one can really be sure that witches, dwarves and those creatures known here as Salvans and Ganes no longer exist...
Points of Interest >> At the open-air museum at Belluno’s Monte Piana experienced hikers can walk along trenches and tunnels from World War I. In Sesto/Sexten, the Bellum Aquilarum Association offers guided hikes to the World War I museum at Croda Rossa/Rotwand. An exhibition entitled Unforgotten. The Great War in the Sexten Dolomites, 1915−1918 is on display at the old elementary school in Sesto. >> On Lagazuoi Mountain, the ski runs cross what was once the front line. Restored tunnels and trenches can be seen at open-air museums at Lagazuoi, Sasso di Stira, and Cinque Torri. >> The soldiers of the Imperial and Royal Army (k.u.k.) whose mother tongue was not German were laid to rest at the war cemetery in Val di Landro/Höhlensteintal Valley near Dobbiaco/Toblach. Graves of fallen soldiers from foreign nations are located in the forest cemetery at Brunico/Bruneck.
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Points of Interest
>> The enrosadira can be seen from four villages: Nova Levante/Welschnofen,
Trostburg Castle, Ponte Gardena/Waidbruck, phone: +39 0471 654 401 · www.burgeninstitut.com Seiser Alm Tourist Bureau, Fiè allo Sciliar/Völs am Schlern, phone: +39 0471 725 047 www.alpedisiusi.info Brunico/Bruneck Tourist Bureau, phone: +39 0474 555 722 · www.bruneck.com
The Great War On 23 May 1915, the Kingdom of Italy declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Italian army occupied Cortina, and the Austro-Hungarian troops fell back to Lagazuoi Mountain in order to defend the Badia and Pustertal valleys. The two opposing armies dug in, building trenches along the crest of Lagazuoi – in fact, through much of the Dolomites. The mountains thus became an inconceivable theatre of war fought at high altitude. The soldiers had to build trails and tunnels for the transportation of food, artillery, and ammunition to the front line. Today, these pathways have been transformed into hiking trails; one of the most fascinating routes is the tunnel leading through Paternkofel Mountain.
Points of Interest ´ >> The Ciastel de Tor Ladin Museum presents intriguing information about the history, language and culture of the Ladin valleys. >> The Viles of Val Badia are situated on steep slopes: these rustic hamlets comprise a group of closely built pairs of residential and farming buildings with a communal oven and fountain on the village square. The Tru dles Viles circuit trail through the farms of La Villa leads to the hamlets of Ćianins, Sotrù, Oies, Frëinademez, Rainé and Anvì. >> Ladin is South Tyrol’s original language. It is a neo-Latin language that originated when the Romans introduced Vulgar Latin into the region. Introductory courses take place at Micurà de Rü Institute in San Martino in Badia/St. Martin in Thurn. Guided tours about the Ladin culture and language are offered in Selva/Wolkenstein in the Val Gardena/Gröden Valley.
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Enrosadira Rosengarten, Latemar and Sas dla Crusc The enchanted rose garden of the Dolomites shows itself only at sunset: the tops of the mountains turn pink, creating an atmosphere worthy of a fairy tale. The enrosadira, as the Ladin peoples call it, is the result of glittering light that intensifies the already-luminous colours of sunset, giving them an extraordinary glow. There is a legend about the origin of the colours: the Dwarf King Laurin fell in love with Similde. Because she gave him the cold shoulder, he took her to his kingdom. Her brother looked for her for seven years – and found her only as a result of King Laurin’s rose garden. Having lost the love of his life, the king put a curse on the garden: it should never blossom again, neither by day nor by night. He forgot to mention, however, the short period of time during sunset. King Laurin’s Rose Garden (Rosengarten in German and Catinaccio in Italian) thus “blooms” in summer, between the hours of 7 and 9 pm, in a spectacular display that washes everything in hues of pink and red.
Addresses Nature Park House at Tre Cime di Lavaredo Nature Park, Dobbiaco/Toblach, phone: +39 0474 976 151 · www.grandhotel-dobbiaco.com Eggental Valley Tourist Association, Nova Levante/Welschnofen, phone: +39 0471 619 500 www.valdega.com Tourism museum in Villabassa, phone: +39 0474 745 136 · www.villabassa.it The Touriseum in Merano/Meran, phone: +39 0473 270 172 · www.touriseum.it
Points of Interest >> The Renaissance hall at Trostburg Castle, above Ponte Gardena/Waidbruck, houses a statue in tribute to Oswald von Wolkenstein. Attractions include a great hall with coffered ceiling, which is adorned with coats of arms, and a triple-vaulted Gothic Stube parlour. >> The Oswald von Wolkenstein Trail leads from Siusi/Seis to the ruins of Castelvecchio/Hauenstein Castle, which Oswald acquired in 1427 after a long inheritance dispute. >> From 1422 to 1426, Oswald was the administrator of Neuhaus Castle in the Pusteria/Pustertal Valley. A cultural trail runs from Gais to the castle and elucidates Oswald’s life and works. Duration of Tour/Hike Trostburg Castle: 2 hours Oswald von Wolkenstein Trail to Castelvecchio/ Hauenstein Castle: 50 minutes Gais Cultural Trail: 1 hour
Wuhnleger Pond in Tires and the Rosengarten Massif
Duration of Tour/Hike Sesto di Dolomiti/Sextner Dolomiten Nature Park House at the Dobbiaco Grand Hotel: 2 hours Tourism museum in Villabassa/Niederdorf: 1 hour The Touriseum in Merano/Meran: 2 hours
Mountain Front
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Addresses Dolomythos Geological and Ethnographic Museum, San Candido, phone: +39 0474 913 462 www.dolomythos.com Geoparc Bletterbach, Aldino-Redagno, phone: +39 0471 886 946 · www.bletterbach.info Visitor’s centre of Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park, Bagni di Lavina Bianca/Weißlahnbad, Tires/Tiers, phone: +39 0471 642 196 · www.provinz.bz.it/nature-parks
Oswald von Wolkenstein Singer, Poet, Composer and Diplomat Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377−1445) did everything possible to preserve his place in posterity: he left his ancestral Trostburg Castle at the age of ten, toured Europe, North Africa and the Middle East as a squire, knight, courier and diplomat to Emperor Sigismund, mastered ten languages, and published two manuscripts of his songs, with which he earned himself a place in world literature of the Middle Ages. Less inspired by minstrel ideals than by life itself, Oswald sang of wine, travel, and love − and of himself. He also wrote the first nature poem in German: an ode to spring and the Seiser Alm alpine pastures. Oswald, who suffered from a congenital paralysis of his right eyelid, died in 1445 in Merano, and was buried at Novacella Abbey. On the east wall of the Cathedral of Bressanone, there is a benefactor stone that Oswald had made in advance of his trip to Jerusalem. In it, he is depicted as a crusader with a beard.
Ladin Museum in Alta Badia
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Duration of Tour/Hike Dolomythos Museum: 2 hours Geoparc Bletterbach: Short route: 2.5 hours; Long route: 3.5 hours Geologists’ Trail from Bad Ratzes to Seiser Alm: 2.5 hours
Addresses Mansio Sebatum Museum, S. Lorenzo/St. Lorenzen, phone: +39 0474 474 092 www.mansio-sebatum.it Val Gardena Tourist Bureau, S. Cristina/St. Christina, phone: +39 0471 777 777 · www.valgardena.it Ortisei/St. Ulrich Tourist Bureau, phone: +39 0471 777 600 · www.valgardena.it
house today, was built in 1878. The Carezza Grand Hotel was the first Alpine hotel in the Eggental Valley, set against the backdrop of the Rosengarten and Latemar massifs. Both luxurious hotels hosted several European monarchs and other celebrities of the day. >> The tourism museum in Villabassa/Niederdorf highlights the fundamentals of the local tourism industry: ancient inns, therapeutic baths, the building of the railway line through the Pusteria Valley, and the history of Alpine mountaineering. >> The Touriseum at Trauttmansdorff Castle in Merano/Meran pilots visitors through an entertaining 200 years of Alpine tourism and a rollercoaster of emotions: Mountains were viewed as menacing until some city dwellers conquered the Dolomite peaks. After that, the heights became an ideal of high society, who admired the mountain backdrop from the safety of their hotel terraces.
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nichen, the exhibitions trace the genesis of the Dolomites, the world of dinosaurs, the mysterious evolution of plants, and crystal treasures. >> The Grand Canyon of Aldino/Aldein: Bletterbach Gorge, situated at the foot of Corno Bianco/Weißhorn Mountain, is South Tyrol’s largest canyon. Wandering through this UNESCO World Heritage Site is to embark on a journey through 280 million years of geological history. >> The Geologists’ Trail in Sciliar-Catinaccio/Schlern-Rosengarten Nature Park on the Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm alpine pastures is one of the most interesting trails in the Dolomites from a geological point of view. Information points help spotlight the genesis of this mountain group.
Duration of Tour/Hike Mansio Sebatum Museum: 1.5 hours Troi Paian Trail: 2 hours
Points of Interest
>> The Dobbiaco/Toblach Grand Hotel, which is a culture centre and nature park
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Points of Interest
>> At the DoloMythos Geological and Ethnographic Museum in San Candido/In-
San Lorenzo/St. Lorenzen, was a typical one-street village along the arterial road between Aquileia and Veldidena, (today’s Wilten, a district of Innsbruck). The Mansio Sebatum Museum (MMS) exhibits archaeological finds that shed light on everyday life along the Roman road in a very engaging way. >> The Troi Paian is the oldest pathway leading from the Isarco/Eisacktal Valley to the Gardena/Gröden Valley. Archaeological finds testify to its use by hunters and gatherers all the way back in the Mesolithic Period (9,000 BC). >> The wooden sculptures of the Gardena Valley, which are known throughout the world, represent a real sector of the local economy. Local tourist bureaus even organise woodcarving courses.
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Dolomythos Fossilised Coral Reefs Corbusier called them “the most beautiful architectural work on earth”: the Dolomites, well known for their unique rock spires and towers, are a geological legacy left by a primordial sea. At the foot of the Tre Cime/Drei Zinnen Peaks, a hiker found a fossilised footprint of a Prosauropoda dinosaur that just happened to walk there 220 million years ago. In the Braies Valley, even older finds have appeared: the sensational discovery of Megachirella wachtleri, an ancestor of modern-day snakes and lizards, near the village of Braies and other fossils of ferns, cycads, and conifers represent other vestiges of prehistoric times. Frötscher River, on the Seiser Alm alpine pastures, is another place where remnants of the fascinating geological history of the Dolomites can be found.
>> The Roman word for rest station was mansio. Their Mansio Sebatum, present-day
Gens Ladina Mutual Differences The peoples of the Dolomites share roots with their neighbours in Ampezzo, Belluno, and Carnia – as can be seen by common traditions and in the German and Ladin dialects. The heart of the Dolomites is Ladin: the Rhaeto-Romanic language is very much alive and well in Val Gardena/Gröden and Val Badia and the valleys of Ampezzo, Cadore, Comelico and Fassa. Down the centuries, the inhabitants of each of these valleys have maintained friendly social interaction with those of the other valleys. Many pilgrim trails and old “smuggling paths” are panoramic cross-border hiking trails today.
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Points of Interest Geisler Peaks in Funes Valley
Postcard Greetings Grand Hotels and Health Spas Tourism has a long tradition in the Dolomites. The first tourist resorts were the old baths, which were already being frequented way back in medieval times: Maistatt, Altprags, Bad Moos, Bad Salomonsbrunn, and Bad Bergfall in the Pusteria Valley. The Southern Railway, which began running in November 1871, opened the door to predominately elite tourism. The train line connected Vienna and Lake Garda; grand hotels sprang up along its route, some of which still exist today. The pioneering spirit of the time is embodied in legendary hostess Emma Hellenstainer, who first built the Schwarzer Adler Hotel and then a second hotel on the shores of Lake Braies. Theodor Christomannos was another illustrious figure: he was not only the brainchild of the panoramic road through the Eggental Valley but also built the Carezza Grand Hotel.
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Trade Routes Goods, Armies and Travellers Way back in prehistoric times, there were big caravan roads crossing the Alps. The Romans used them to travel between the Mediterranean and Germanic worlds. They set up important customs stations along the imperial roads: the Via Claudia Augusta, the Pustrissa and the Alemagna. Situated between the Via Pustrissa, which carried the old Roman name for the Pusteria Valley, and the Via Alemagna, lay the market town of San Candido/Innichen, which features an important collegiate church in the Romanesque style and the oldest weekly market (1303) in the Pusteria Valley. Pilgrims, merchants, and shoppers came here from all over. Inns, guesthouses, and workshops of blacksmiths, waggon-makers, and carters sprang up. The market flourished thanks to traders from Germany and Venice.
Recreational Areas and Nature Parks in the Dolomites » Information about Alta Pusteria/Hochpustertal www.altapusteria.info » Information about Plan de Corones/Kronplatz www.plandecorones.com » Information about Alta Badia www.altabadia.org » Information about Val Gardena/Gröden www.valgardena.it » Information about Alpe di Siusi/Seiser Alm www.alpedisiusi.info » Information about Val d’Ega/Eggental www.valdega.com » Nature Parks of South Tyrol www.provinz.bz.it/nature-parks
Südtirol Information Piazza della Parrocchia, 11 I-39100 Bolzano/Bozen phone: +39 0471 999 999 info@suedtirol.info www.suedtirol.info