Customs, Heritage, and Traditions of Cortina

Introduction

Discover the customs, traditions, and cultural identity of Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town between Austria and Italy with a unique culture. From lively festivals to historic sites, from Ladin exhibitions to the story of the Dolomites. Let's dive together into Cortina’s culture!

History of Cortina

Knowing the history of a place allows us to better understand its nature. The earliest trace of human activity in the areas of Cortina dates to about 6000 B.C. and was obtained through the discovery of the burial of a Mesolithic hunter near Mondeval.

The first trace of habitation in Ampezzo dates back to about 1156. Since then the village has grown bit by bit into what we know today.

Cortina's history has gone through various sovereigns: from the Republic of Venice, to the Kingdom of Austria, and has known periods of peace as well as periods of war. Outposts, such as the Podestagno Fortress, have played major roles in safeguarding the territory.

Entities such as the "Regole d'Ampezzo" made it possible to maintain a certain independence over the centuries from those who ruled over these lands. If this topic interests you, we invite you to read the page on the history of Ampezzo. You'll find it below:

History of Cortina A brief history of the town of Cortina, from Mondeval man to the present day, with highlights. Reading time: 14 min.

Geological history of the Dolomites

The Dolomites are unique geological formations in the world. First, they are among the very few light-colored mountains in the world. Second, they are one of the very few places in the world where the stratifications are so clearly visible. Finally, geologically, they have created nearly three centuries of headaches for scientists, to understand the origin of their formation.

Although the formation process of Dolomite, the rock of which the Dolomites are composed, was known as early as 1700, no scientist has been able to reproduce it in the laboratory at room temperature, at least until 1995. If the subject fascinates you, and you want to know more about how the Dolomites were formed, we invite you read the page on the geological history of the Dolomites below:

Geology of the Dolomites The history of the Dolomites and the Dolomite, the rock of which they are composed. Reading time: 9 min.

The Bell Tower of Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo bell tower has been erected on the remains of the old, rather anonymous, bell tower dating back to 1590, which had to be demolished due to a series of structural problems.

The construction of the new bell tower began in 1852 and has been well described in the excellent book "El Cianpanín, storia del campanile di Cortina d'Ampezzo" by Mario Ferruccio Belli and further approached in the book "Il campanile di Cortina d'Ampezzo, l'architettura del compromesso," by Giuliano Cilione. The only problem is that both books are written only in Italian.

We took inspiration from the book, we translated it and supplemented it with other interesting facts, so as to give as much information as possible about the symbol of Cortina. The fruits of our labor can be read on our page on the Cortina Bell Tower. It can be found below:

The bell tower of Cortina Everything you ever wanted to know, and more, about the amazing Cortina's bell tower. Reading time: 6 min.

Ra Fèŝta de ra Bàndes

"Ra Fèŝta de ra Bàndes" is one of the most heartfelt events for guests and residents of Cortina. A week of music, which ends on the last Sunday of August with the big parade in the "Corso Italia" street and the concert, where hundreds of musicians play together in one of the squares of Cortina.

Throughout the week, the kiosk of the Music Band remains open, which will allow you to drink a beer or a glass of wine while listening to one of the evening concerts of the bands hosted in the "shell," a structure for giving a roof to the Music Bands. On Saturday evening, a big concert, more rytmical and young, introduces the Sunday of celebrations.

If you want to know more about the event and the Cortina d'Ampezzo Marching Band, as well as the most appropriate traditional clothes to wear during the event, we invite you to visit the page we wrote on the subject. You can see it below:

Ra Fèŝta de ra Bàndes A Marching Bands Festival: the last Sunday of August is a day full of fun and music. Reading time: 7 min.

What Are the Six Sestieri of Ampezzo

The town of Cortina originally consisted of several districts which all belonged to the same municipality. These villages were called "Sestieri." Every Sestiere was coordinated by the boss of a "Sestiere," who was in charge of checking that everything was working properly, as well as bringing the complaints of the various hamlets to the municipality.

Over time the geographic subdivision became less and less defined, as the town increased in size and the various hamlets began to merge with each other.

With the arrival of fascism, the tradition of the "Sestieri" had almost completely disappeared, but it was decided to preserve it by creating a sports competition. Its purpose was to renew the spirit of belonging to a "Sestiere" using the competitive spirit. The winter cross-country palio was born.

If you enjoyed the topic and would like to explore it further, please read the page on Ampezzo's "Sestieri" in the past and nowadays below:

What are the "Sestieri" A non-profit association, a cultural heritage and a geographical division. Reading time: 6 min.

What Are the Village Festivals

The village festivals of Cortina were one of the most characteristic events of the Ampezzo summer. There were six local festivals, one for each district, where you could eat typical dishes, drink and have fun.

The village festivals were organized every year in each one of the six districts of Cortina. Over time, each festival assumed its own particular identity, from the more touristy to the more suitable for eating, up to the one where you can party a little more and let yourself go a little.

The reason we are using the past tense is because, after the Covid lockdowns and with the arrival of the 2026 Olympics, there are major changes expected in the future.

If the topic interests you, and you would like to explore it further, we have written a page where we explain the different village festivals, the origins of this tradition and the sports activities associated with them. You'll also find updated information on how the event will be organized in the future. All you have to do is read the page below:

The "Feste Campestri" The Village festivals of Cortina: a loved summer tradition where eat and have fun together. Reading time: 9 min.

Military Memorial at Pocol

The Military Memorial at Pocol is clearly visible from most of Cortina, but is rarely visited by tourists. Probably the main reason is the total lack of advertising, even if it's actually a suggestive and very interesting place. A rainy day may be ideal to visit this monument, that can be seen any time of the year, except during a heavy snowfall, due to the road to reach it, that is relatively steep.

The opening hours are from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., except on Mondays and public holidays, when it's closed. To reach the war memorial it's better to take the car, driving in the direction of Passo Falzarego, until you reach the locality of Pocol, about five kilometers, three miles, from the center. After parking the car in the large parking lot you'll have to walk about one hundred meters, a little more than three hundred feet, before you reach the ossuary.

The military memorial of Pocol was erected in 1935 by the engineer Giovanni Raimondi and consists of a large stone tower that contains the remains of 9,707 Italian soldiers, of which 4,455 are unknown. I assure you that walking along the tombstones inside the building makes quite well the idea of the sacrifice of human lives that the war required. Once you have visited the inside it's possible to take a walk outside, where are exhibited some demilitarized cannons, some ammunition and the tombstones in memory of the fallen.

On the way back, returning to Cortina, you'll cross a small tunnel in the rock. I recommend you to park in the small parking lot, just ahead on the right to enjoy the incredible panorama of Cortina. Not for nothing this location is called "Belvedere," which means beautiful view.

If you would like more information about the Pocol military memorial, please read the page we wrote on the topic below:

The Pocol Military Memorial An evocative ossuary near Cortina, one less known spot in the town, but of sure interest. Reading time: 6 min.

The "Regole" Museums

The "Regole d'Ampezzo" are a centuries-old institution established both to manage and protect the forests and pastures and to ensure their responsible use by the "regolieri." They are the original inhabitants of Cortina, keeping it simple, those who have been in the territory for many generations.

Thanks to the efforts of the "Regole," it has been possible to preserve the integrity of the territory over the centuries. This institution is so important that some illustrious locals decided to donate their priceless legacy to them. Using this heritage, the "Regole" decided to build Cortina's three main museums.

The museums of the "Regole d'Ampezzo" are three. The first is named after Mario Rimoldi and is one of the most significant private collections of 20th-century Italian art. The second is named after Rinaldo Zardini and is one of the largest existing fossil collections, with more than one thousand different species exposed. The third is an ethnographic museum and is a look at life in Cortina in the past centuries. If you would like to learn more about this topic, you may read or page; you can see it below:

The Museums of the Regole Three interesting museums: an art gallery, an ethnographic museum, and a fossil collection. Reading time: 6 min.

The Vespa Private Museum

In Cortina there is a guy named Marco, who has created a private museum dedicated to his great passion: the Vespa. As you can read in the title, this is a private exhibit, open to the public only by appointment.

This is a private exhibit, but don't be intimidated; Marco is a fantastic person. He will have no problem welcoming you if you share the same passion as him. Obviously this is something he does as a hobby, so you can't be certain that he will actually have the time to show you his creation, but if you are curious, you should try to contact him.

On the page below, you'll find our impressions, the story behind its creation, and, at the end, its contact information.

The private Vespa museum The Cortina Vespa Museum is a private collection about the famous Italian scooter. Reading time: 7 min.

Conclusion

We hope you liked this page about the traditions of Cortina. Before saying goodbye, we would suggest you read our home page, with all the articles we wrote about Cortina d'Ampezzo.

If you want to thank us, you can read the page Support Us. If you only want to suggest a change, propose something, or just say hello, in the section Contacts and Info, you'll find all the ways to reach us.