In the halls and inner courtyard of the castle built in the 13th century, exhibitions, concerts and seminars are held as well as meetings on various themes and aspects related to the Ladin language and culture.

A visit to the museum brings to light significant situations of the past and partly present life of the Ladin people, highlighting the significant influences of extra-regional events on their lives.

The museum Ursus ladinicus is made by three floors: at the first floor there is the cash desk and museum shop.

The upper floor starts with the evolutionary history of the Dolomites, with a display of the finest and most significant fossils from the area around San Cassiano.

The exhibition continues with the origins, discovery and excavation of the Conturines cave, using original exhibits to describe every aspect of the cave bear and its habitat.

In the basement there is “the bear’s cave”, a reconstruction of parts of the Conturines cave, complete with a detailed reproduction of a sleeping cave bear.

A two-storey building in the centre of Ortisei offers an all-inclusive view of local wood-carving handicraft, archaeology, geology and life-style. Discover the evolution of Val Gardena, where the earliest human settlements date back to more than 10,000 years ago. 280 million year-old plants and sea creatures were found in the valley, including the extraordinary Ichthyosaur fossil found in Seceda. The museum also houses a collection of ancient wooden toys and, since 2004, has displayed the art legacy left by Luis Trenker, an acclaimed local mountaineer, actor and mountain film director. Valuable items, such as the painted cloth from San Giacomo, which was used to cover the Cross during Lent, and the Sëurasas summit cross are included in the museum’s collection. A multi-media exhibition shows a late Medieval bedroom from Bierjun farm which features rare red chalk drawings dating back to 1490.
The big “farm map” shows the currently existing sites of rural architecture in Val Gardena.

Categories: Geology, Ladinia, Animals, Minerals, Archaelogy, Sacred art, Wood-carving, Farmer, Baroque, Butterflies, culture, Cribs, Toys, Middle Ages, Etnography

closed 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January

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.

Located in Enneberg / S. Vigilio at the entrance to Val de Mareo valley, nature park house Fanes-Senes-Prags / Fanes-Senes-Braies provides a wealth of information about nature park Fanes-Sennes-Prags / Fanes-Senes-Braies via interactive media, videos, and interpretive signs. The facility’s levels are linked via spiral ramps that enable visitors to reach the various galleries, which contain exhibitions on the following topics: the origins of the Dolomites; the 1987 discovery of the cave bear of Conturines; the park’s main habitats; and a three-dimensional relief showing the region’s geomorphology. The galleries also contain pictures of the park’s most impressive features. Next to Alpine pasture agriculture and the attendant Alpine pasture villages, the biodiversity of the park’s mountain meadows of Armentara and Plätzwiese, and the Ladin culture are on diplay. The center also features terrariums and a children’s area with games and crafts, as well as a library.

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 village 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. Of course, many photos and selfies are shot.

For access to the internet, our guests may use the  Wi-Fi connection available at the “Istitut Ladin Micura de Rü” in the centre of the village. Open Mon-Thurs: 10 am–12 pm and 3–5 pm; Fri: 10 am–12 pm; Sat-Sun closed ;  Phone (+39) 0474523110

The “Isitut Ladin Micura de Rü” ist the cultural centre of the Ladin language.

The Deer Park “Sompunt”, between La Villa and Badia includes more than 7 hectares of meadows and forest where more than 30 species of deer and fallow deer live together in harmony.
The park can be easily reached by car, bus or by foot.
Starting from the restaurant “Paraciora” and following an easy marked path, you can admire these wild animals living in uncontaminated nature.
The path is approx. 1 km long.
The route is indicated by arrows and information boards on which you will find some information about the park and its majestic inhabitants. The trail is also suitable for trekking strollers.

• Every Tuesday from 1st July till 1st October from 10:00am until 11:00am you can visit the Deer Park with the owner. Meeting Point is the Restaurant “Paraciora”. Free visit.

Not just deers and fallow deers…
Our Park offers a playground for children and there are also ponies, donkeys, rabbits, ducks, chicken and goats to see.

We are waiting for you!

The Santa Barbara church, built in the late Gothic style, was built in the 15th century on a panoramic hill just outside the village of La Val.

Historical evidence indicates that the church built in honor of Santa Barbara, patron saint of miners, is the work of the miners of Valparola, who worked the iron minerals extracted from Monte Pore.

The painting on the outside wall depictings a crucifixion in the open countryside and various mural paintings inside are of particular historical value.

The Santa Barbara church can be reached with just a half-hour walk from the village centre of La Val along the “Memento Vivere” meditation path, consisting of the stations “Birth”, “Childhood”, “Youth”, “Adults age” and “Old age”.