T

he Rendena Valley has a combination of history, art, and a remarkable environment. A narrow valley, its shoulders are the magnificent Dolomites of the Brenta on one side and the Presanella e the Adamello, the highest mountain in the Trentino, on the other. Down the middle of the valley, there runs the Sarca River, the most important river in the Province. Up and down the valley, there came Charlemagne with his warriors and bishops visiting churches and leaving behind legends. There followed the remarkable Baschenis, distinguished artists, who left their foot prints with remarkable art. In particular, there are the churches of San Vigilio in Pinzolo, San Antonio in Perlugo, and San Stefano in Carisolo. The magnificent frescoes of the Simon Baschenis are fully on display. One of their famous frescoes is the Danze Macabre, the Council of Trento interned here witches and devils. Dance of Death. There are many tales and beliefs in Val Rendena linked to The first villages you meet entering Val Rendena are Villa the Nordic cycles and medieval stories. Among the main Rendena, Iavr, Dar, Vigo Rendena. Pelugos history is topics there are the monster of Nambino Lake, the linked to the cemetery church dedicated to St. Antonio, "Volpt" of Ritorto Lake, the bread that doesn't rise in frescoed by Bergamo painters of 1500. Spiazzo was the Mortaso after Saint Vigilio`s death, the treasures guarded centre of all Rendena communities since it was officially by spirits and devils, the witches on Epiphany night and the Pieve di Rendena to seal the central position of the many others. village and the importance of religious history with St. Vigilio, the patron of the Trentino. Strembo, Bocenago In the second half of the 1800s, the Val Rendena sufand Caderzone Terme are gathered around their bell fered from the great miseria and hunger and lack of towers, overlook Sarca River. They are characterized by basic needs of the period. There had been a glass factoan alpine rural culture that is in evidence in the architec- ry in Carisolo, some wood carving, and cattle breeding ture of the houses and in the religious frescos which but they could not sustain its population. These great often decorated the exteriors of their houses. In the high needs prompted a great revival with the migrating of part of Rendena Valley you find the villages of Giustino, very many people of valley as seasonal workers throughMassimeno, and Pinzolo the main center of the valley, out Europe as knife grinders (moleti) and then subseand Carisolo that leads to Val Genova westward and to quently to the USA. These moleti literally went everyMadonna di Campiglio northward, passing through where, developed their own unique language to commuSantAntonio di Mavignola. Pinzolo is the heart of the nicate with each other, and succeeded in creating quasi valley, with its churches as the cemetery church of Saint labor federations and cooperatives. With the arrival of the new century, the town of Madonna di Campiglio Vigilio. once a religious sanctuary and hospice for wayfarers and Val Rendena has many beautiful and wild little lateral val- for the devout transformed itself to a sanctuary and desleys: Val San Valentino, Val di Borzago, Val Genova and tination point for tourists ushering in a boom of both Val Nambrone, Val Brenta e Val dAgola. The Genova winter and summer recreation and activities. It is the site valley is among the most important valleys because of its of ski competitions and..Tourism prompted a great wild and varied landscapes. It has torrents and many building boom of hotels, condominiums and restaurants water falls including the spectacular Cascata di Nardis, to accommodate tourists and it has become the the Nardis waterfall. This particular valley always fasci- Rendenas chief industry. UNESCO further endorsed nated the mountain people. It is linked to many popular the Rendena Valley by declaring its magnificent mysterious legends. According one of these legends, the Dolomites as part of the World Heritage. 18

Introduction to the Val Rendena

19