Badia (; german: Abtei ) is a ''
comune'' (municipality) in
South Tyrol, northern
Italy. It is one of the five
Ladin
Ladin may refer to:
* Ladin language, a language in northern Italy, often classified as a Rhaeto-Romance language
*Ladin people, the inhabitants of the Dolomite Alps region of northern Italy
See also
*Laden (disambiguation)
* Ladino (disambigua ...
-speaking communities of the
Val Badia which is part of the
Ladinia
Ladinia ( lld, Ladinia) is neologism used to describe an Alpine countries, Alpine region in the Dolomites mountain range of Northern Italy, divided between the Italian provinces of Belluno, South Tyrol, and Trento. The area takes its name from ...
region.
Geography
The municipal area stretches on the
Gran Ega river in the southern, upper part of the Val Badia (''Abteital''). It is surrounded by the steep
limestone peaks of the scenic
Dolomites mountain range. Part of the comune lies in
Alta Badia
Alta Badia is a ski resort in the Dolomites of northern Italy, in the upper part of the Val Badia (german: Hochabtei) in South Tyrol. It is part of the Dolomiti Superski ski area. It is included in the territories of the municipalities of Corvar ...
, a ski resort at the top end of the Val Badia valley.
Badia is accessible by road from
La Val (''Wengen'') in the north, located about half-way down to the
Puster Valley at
Bruneck. In the south, the valley road leads up to three mountain passes:
Valparola Pass, connecting Badia with
Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (; lld, Anpezo, ; historical de-AT, Hayden) is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern ( Dolomitic) Alps in the Province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the Boite river, in an al ...
,
Campolongo Pass linking the neighbouring comune of
Corvara with the
Arabba ski resort, and
Gardena Pass leading to
Val Gardena (''Gröden''). All pass roads may be temporarily closed during harsh winter conditions.
Neighbouring municipalities
The following communities neighbour Badia:
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (; lld, Anpezo, ; historical de-AT, Hayden) is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomitic) Alps in the Province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the Boite river, in an alp ...
,
Corvara,
Mareo,
Livinallongo del Col di Lana,
San Martin de Tor,
La Val and
Sëlva.
Frazioni
The municipality of Badia contains the ''
frazioni'' (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) La Ila (''La Villa, Stern''), San Ciascian (''San Cassiano, St. Kassian''), and Badia proper consisting of Pedraces (''Pedratsches'') and San Linêrt (''San Leonardo, St. Leonhard'') west and east of the Gran Ega river.
History
Since the 12th century, the valley estates belonged to the possessions held by the
Benedictine nunnery of Sonnenburg near
St. Lorenzen
St. Lorenzen (; it, San Lorenzo di Sebato ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northeast of Bolzano. As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 3,752 and an area of .All demographics and other sta ...
, hence the name ''Abtei'' ("abbey") first mentioned in a 1325 deed. The nuns had received the lands from the
Aribonid The Aribonids were a noble family of probably Bavarian origin who rose to preeminence in the Carolingian March of Pannonia and the later Margraviate of Austria (''marcha orientalis'') in the late ninth and early tenth centuries. The dynasty is nam ...
counts, who formerly ruled as
count palatines in
Bavaria. A first parish church was erected in 1347.
While the Puster Valley in the south was held by the
Counts of Görz at
Lienz
Lienz (; Southern Bavarian: ''Lianz'') is a Town privileges, medieval town in the Austrian state of Tyrol (state), Tyrol. It is the administrative centre of the Lienz (district), Lienz district, which covers all of East Tyrol. The municipality a ...
, the Ladin language and culture in the Val Badia, due to the remote location, have been preserved up to today. Upon the extinction of the House of Görz in 1500, the estates were inherited by the Austrian
House of Habsburg. The Sonnenburg monastery was
secularised
In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...
by order of Emperor
Joseph II in 1785. The valley road, originally a
bridle path
A bridle path, also bridleway, equestrian trail, horse riding path, ride, bridle road, or horse trail, is a trail or a thoroughfare that is used by people riding on horses. Trails originally created for use by horses often now serve a wider r ...
, was rebuilt from 1885 onwards and opened in 1892.
Coat of arms
The emblem is that of the ''Winkler von Colz zu Rubatsch'' noble family which, in the 16th and 17th century, had property and the castle at La Ila. The shield is
party per fess, at the top is represented a
sable
The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...
steinbock
The Alpine ibex (''Capra ibex''), also known as the steinbock, bouquetin, or simply ibex, is a species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of the European Alps. It is a sexually dimorphic species: males are larger and carry longer, curved h ...
, holding with the front hoofs a red broken branch on an
or background. The lower part is divided into three, with vertex at the top, alternating
gules
In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple).
In engraving, it is sometimes depict ...
and
argent with a rose in the center; every rose has the central petal in or. The emblem was granted in 1967.
Heraldry of the World: Abtei
/ref>
Population
Linguistic distribution
According to the 2011 census, 94.07% of the population speak Ladin
Ladin may refer to:
* Ladin language, a language in northern Italy, often classified as a Rhaeto-Romance language
*Ladin people, the inhabitants of the Dolomite Alps region of northern Italy
See also
*Laden (disambiguation)
* Ladino (disambigua ...
, 4.17% Italian and 1.76% German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
as first language.
Main sights
A pilgrimage church, the Church of the Holy Cross, is located beneath the steep slopes of the Sas dla Crusc massif near the birthplace of Saint Josef Freinademetz
Joseph Freinademetz, S.V.D., () (April 15, 1852 - January 28, 1908) was a Ladin Roman Catholic priest and missionary in China. He has been declared a saint by the Catholic Church.
Early life
Freinademetz was born the fourth among the 13 children ...
. It was consecrated in 1484, the adjacent refuge was erected in 1718.
The parish church of San Ćiascian, dedicated to Saint Cassian of Imola, was consecrated in 1782. Nearby the small ''Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus'' cover the Ladin history of the area and exhibits the skeleton of a cave bear, living here in the glacial period more than 90,000 years ago.
Natural areas
The massifs in the east and south are part of the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park
The Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park ( lld, Parch natural Fanes-Senes-Braies; it, Parco naturale Fanes-Sennes-Braies; german: Naturpark Fanes-Sennes-Prags) is a nature reserve in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), offi ...
, with the notable summit of Sas dla Crusc
The Sas dla Crusc (german: Heiligkreuzkofel, it, Sasso di Santa Croce ) is a mountain of the Fanes group in South Tyrol, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Eu ...
rising up to 2,907 m (9,537 ft); the chains in the west belong to the Puez-Geisler Nature Park. Badia is also near the mountains of Lagazuoi (2,778 m), Conturines (3,064 m), La Varela (3,055 m), L'Ciaval (Kreuzkofel) (2,907 m) and Gardenaccia (2,500 m).
Notable people
* Micurà de Rü Micurà de Rü, born Nikolaus Bacher (San Cassiano, Badia, December 4, 1789 – Wilten, March 29, 1847), was an Austrian Ladin-speaking Catholic presbyter and linguist best known for his writings on the Ladin language.
Biography
He was born as ...
(1789–1847), born in Rü near San Ćiascian, Ladin linguist.
* Joseph Freinademetz (1852–1908), born in the hamlet of Oies, Catholic saint and missionary to China.
Economy
As in other Ladin-speaking communities in South Tyrol, tourism is the most important contributor to Badia's economy. Around 69% of the population work in the service sector, around 21% work in production, and around 10% work in agriculture, however most of these hold other jobs as well and farm on the side.
Sport
Maratona dles Dolomites
The start of the annual single-day seven mountain passes crossing Maratona dles Dolomites bicycle race is every year in La Ila.
References
External links
* (Ladin)
Homepage of the municipality
{{DEFAULTSORT:Badia (Bz)
Municipalities of South Tyrol