Author: Todo Suedtirol

Corzes

How to reach Corzes

Attractions:
– Church of St. Egidio

Corzes/Kortsch, the largest municipal district within the principal Silandro/Schlanders municipality, lies nestled at the feet of the Monte Sole mountain, at a distance of approximately 1 km from Silandro in direction Resia Pass.
This sunny district has expanded simultaneously with the principal village so that it is now merely separated from Silandro by the main state road.

At the feet of the barren Monte Sole slopes, the extensive chestnut groves form a particularly eye catching sight. A small, white tower can be seen reaching out of the chestnut groves – it belongs to the chapel of St. Egidius, a small chapel that is without doubt the most famous example of architecture in Corzes/Kortsch due to its construction over 700 years ago on the “Schatzknott”, a rock that, as legend goes, is said to cover a hidden treasure.

Church of St. Egidio | Corzes

How to reach the Church of St. Egidio

The little Church of St. Egidio at Corces/Kortsch was built around 700 years ago and on the southern and external walls, there is a large fresco of St. Christopher. In 1985, several other frescos were discovered inside the church dating from the 13th Century. On the first Sunday of Lent, an old Venosta Valley rite is still practised; namely, the throwing of burning discs so as to ‘crush’ or expel winter, known locally as the ‘Scheibenschlagen’.

Museo Passiria | S. Leonardo in Passiria

How to reach the Museo Passiria

Cattle-dealer, rebel leader, hero. The permanent exhibition cast an ironic eye over the legend of the Tyrolean popular hero Andreas Hofer. It shows how the Tyrolean rebellion of 1809 against Napoleon unfolded. It offers a glimpse into Hofer’s mind and his despair with God and the Emperor. And it shows how, despite his failure, the era following Hofer made him into a hero.

Heroes & Hofer goes beyond Andreas Hofer to show how heroes arise and how they are used – and abused.

Please check this website for detailed information on opening hours and prices.

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Contact:
MuseoPassiria
via Passiria, 72
39015  S. Leonardo in Passiria
+39 0473 659086

Selva Val Gardena

How to reach Selva Val Gardena

Attractions:
– Dragon Lake
– Lake Crespëina

The highest village in Dolomites Val Gardena!

Placed directly below the Sella massif, the plateau-shaped mountain which appears as though it’s carrying the weight of the heavens on its shoulders, lies the picturesque village of Selva Val Gardena. Opposites create a true harmony in Selva Val Gardena which attracts countless visitors to Dolomites Val Gardena every year: modernity meets a bucolic setting, sport goes hand-in-hand with recovery, the perfect infrastructure alternates with leisurely and isolated meadows and paths. Dive into a world that will sweep you under its spell within a couple of seconds.

The perfect location surrounded by breathtaking nature
Selva Val Gardena is located at the heart of a beautiful natural landscape, a picturesque valley surrounded by the Dolomite mountain ranges which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Part of the Puez Group, the Cir summits, and even parts of the legendary Sella and Sassolungo Group surround Dolomites Val Gardena.

Due to its picturesque location at the heart of the Dolomites, Selva Val Gardena is a favourite holiday destination for active holiday–goers. Tourism is one of the main industries in Selva. Countless hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and ski schools pepper the location. As one of the access points to the Sellaronda, during the winter season Selva Val Gardena is also visited by tourists wanting to complete the Sella circuit on their skis.

Across the schools of not only Selva Val Gardena but also the valley’s other two municipalities, children are taught Ladin. Together with Italian and German, it makes up the Dolomites Val Gardena’s official languages.

Silandro

How to reach Silandro

Attractions:
– The National Park Visitor Center Avimundus
– Schlandersburg Castle

Silandro/Schlanders, the capital of the Venosta Valley, boasts approximately 6000 inhabitants. The community is nestled among the end of the Schlandrauntal Valley, the Lasa mountains, and the typical Venosta Valley orchards and vineyards. Silandro is the economic center of the entire Venosta Valley, and home to many companies, cooperatives and the hospital.

The emblem of the municipality is the tower of the Gothic parish church of Maria Ascension, which at about 90 m in height, is the highest church tower in the Tyrol. A further landmark is the magnificent Schlandersburg Renaissance Castle with its picturesque, two-storey arcaded courtyard. The traffic-free pedestrian zone around the narrow, winding streets and small cafes and shops gives Silandro an urban flair and invites visitors to take an unhurried stroll.

Art and Culture:
As a diverse country of contrasts, the Venosta Valley was an important gateway valley on the Adige River since Roman times and has been settled since prehistoric times. The valley was not only a connecting route over the Alps, but also a center of marble quarrying. Additionally, the Venosta Valley was rarely the scene of armed conflict. Thus, valuable monuments remain standing to this day.

In the capital and cultural center of Silandro/Schlanders and in the marble and artists’ village of Lasa/Lasa, there are a lot of attractions including castles and churches, frescoes and works of art from all eras. Early Romanesque churches along the ancient trade route Via Claudia Augusta connect at the foot of the high alpine scenery of the Stelvio National Park, forming a unique cultural landscape. Between traditions and everyday customs and culture, the Venosta Valley today also brings forth young creative artists and architects.
Taste and Enjoy: 

Nature, culture and unadulterated enjoyment – this is the hallmark of Venosta Valley. Agriculture continues to play a major role today in the valley of connoisseurs. Time goes by differently here – the rhythm of daily life, work, and regional cuisine are adapted to the climate and the seasons.

Sun, wind and little precipitation characterize the valley. This excellent microclimate helps bear sweet fruit on the farms. Venosta Valley is today home to high quality produce. Here you will find old fruit varieties such as the Venosta Valley apricot or Palabirne (pear), and cabbage products – specialities, which are still sold direct from the farm and in farmers markets. Additionally, fields of grain, fruit and vegetable planations, and vineyards at altitudes up to 1000 m above sea level can be found here.

Shopping: Apples, apricots, cabbage and marble: The Silandro and Lasa holiday area in the Venosta Valley is known for its regional delicacies and the purest marble in the world. The variety of Italian fashion boutiques, shoe stores and sportswear stores make the area the shopping center of the Venosta Valley culture region.

Schlandersburg Castle | Silandro

How to reach Schlandersburg Castle

Schlandersburg Castle was built around 1600 as the residence of the Hendl aristocrats. The castle was later enlarged thus becoming one of the most important Renaissance edifices in the entire Venosta Valley. In 1988, the castle was placed under the administration of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano and today it houses a public library in addition to the Employment offices and those of the Forestry Department – and the Menhir exhibition.

In 2013, two menhirs dating to the Copper Age were recovered from pieces of marble during the conversion work for a gardening shop in Vezzano/Vetzan, near Silandro/Schlanders. Since March 2017, the menhirs have been showcased at Schlandersburg Castle as part of a comprehensive thematic exhibition. In addition to these two original pieces, eighteen abstract pictorial figures made of metal are also displayed, which represent the eighteen menhirs found in South Tyrol and Trentino in recent decades.

The two unique sculptures, with male and female attributes respectively, give us an intriguing insight into the history of the area. The male sculpture is over 3 m in height, and wears a belt from which the handle of a dagger sticks out. The female menhir wears a robe and a necklace. The original set-up of these two sculptures can no longer be recovered; most likely they formed part of a larger group of figures.

Opening hours of the exhibition:
Mon – Fri: 9am – 12am & 2pm – 6pm
Sat. 9am – 12am

Lake Crespëina | Selva Val Gardena

How to reach the Lake Crespëina

Along a hike on the Crespëina Highland towards the Crespëina Ridge and the Cir Peaks in the Val Gardena, the path proceeds past a beautiful mountain lake located at 2,374 m asl. called Lake Crespëina. Around the lake in the Puez-Odle Nature Park the mountains of the Puez Group rise, as the mentioned Cir Peaks. The lake bottom is overgrown with seaweed what gives the green colour to the water – no fish live in it.

The lake is steeped in legend: in former times the lake was called Lech de Lietres what means “Lake of the ladders”. This goes back to the legend, that in the Puez-Odle Nature Park savages were living, who hid in the mountains using corded ladders. A South Tyrolean folklorist of the 20th century, Karl Felix Wolff, tells about it in his sagas.

Plan

How to reach Plan

Aktivitäten:
– Mountaincart | Plan

Plan is located at the head of the valley and is considered a family-friendly winter sports resort.

Plan in upper Val Passiria is located at 1,627 m asl and is an idyllic mountain village in the heart of the Gruppo di Tessa nature park. Typical wooden buildings and farms characterise the village, which has got some 160 inhabitants. The hiking area round Plan and the Altissima is particularly fascinating, the landscape is ideal to be discovered on foot. For those who aim higher, there are fixed rope routes, or you visit the outdoor climbing gym “Bergkristall”, making climbers’ hearts leap for joy.

While in summer you sweat on the hiking trails, in winter you can rage and riot on the slopes. The small but mighty skiing area provides ideal conditions both for adults and kids, while cross-country skiers can look forward to 17 km of cross-country ski trails.

But also on two wheels you can discover the beauty of the valley: for tours on your motorbike, there are the Passo del Rombo and Passo del Giovo. Those who prefer mountain biking can experience the Alta Val Passiria on the trail network covering this area.

Dragon Lake | Selva Val Gardena

How to reach the Dragon Lake

The Lech dl Dragon is a glacial lake in the holiday village of Selva Gardena in Val Gardena. Located at an altitude of 2,680 m in the Sella Group in South Tyrol, the Dragon Lake is only a temporary water body.

One of the most mystical and undoubtedly most beautiful lakes in Val Gardena is the Lech dl Dragon. The ice reservoir is located on the Val Gardena side of the valley in the middle of the Dolomites at the foot of the Sella Group. There are numerous legends about the lake, especially as the water is not always there. The lake is fed by glacier water and disappeared completely in the 1970s. In the years 2003 to 2007 the turquoise green lake at the Sellamasiv in the Dolomites could be observed, until it disappeared almost completely again in 2009.

A dragon in Val Gardena
Since 2011, the lake seems to be forming again about 300 m further east and it indicates that this lake will become even bigger than all the others have observed so far. The disappearance and emergence of the ice lake has been on people’s minds for generations. So it is hardly surprising that numerous legends and legends entwine around the Lech dl Dragon. It is said that the sounds of the dynamic glacial lake, which can be heard in Selva and in the alpine pastures of the Gardena Pass, come from a dragon flying in the sunset of the Dolomites.

The Lech dl Dragon can be visited together with a beautiful hike. Starting at an altitude of 1923 m at the Gardena Pass car park, you can reach the lake in a four-hour hike. The best months for this hike are August and September.