The Town
of Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Cortina d’Ampezzo: The Town Center and Local Life

Cortina d’Ampezzo is a mountain village embraced by the Dolomites, set among the Alps like precious gems, renowned for their extraordinary ability to change color with the shifting light.

The town center lies at 1,224 meters above sea level, along the banks of the Boite stream, at the foot of imposing peaks — some rising above 3,000 meters.

Surrounding the village is a vast area of remarkable natural beauty. Cortina is the third largest municipality in the Veneto region and is framed not only by the UNESCO-listed Dolomites, but also by over 11,000 hectares of the Natural Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites.

The village also has its own motto, visible beneath the municipal coat of arms: “Modo vivo ac tuta quiesco,” meaning “I live with balance and rest in peace.”

The Historic Center of Cortina d’Ampezzo: History, Culture, and Alpine Beauty

The historic center of Cortina d’Ampezzo develops around the bell tower of the Parish Church of Saints Filippo and Giacomo which became a Minor Basilica in 2011. Built between 1769 and 1775, the basilica houses remarkable cycles of paintings and sculptures, as well as an altar created by Andrea Brustolon dating back to 1703.

The current bell tower, on the other hand, was constructed in the 19th century, and its bells rang for the first time on Christmas Day in 1858.

Cortina’s historic center is home to several important institutions, including the Municipality of Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Casa delle Regole d’Ampezzo, which also hosts the Mario Rimoldi Museum of Modern Art. Along Corso Italia, visitors will find art galleries, traditional Ampezzo craftsmanship shops, and the famous Cooperativa di Cortina.

The historic center also features numerous boutiques offering elegant Tyrolean-inspired fashion, alongside bars, cafés, pastry shops, and restaurants serving traditional local cuisine.

At the foot of the bell tower lies Angelo Dibona square, a lively square that hosts national and international events throughout the year.

The Bell Tower: A True Symbol of Cortina

The bell tower of Cortina, known locally as “el Ciampanín,” is both a religious landmark and a defining symbol of the entire town.

Today, it is known for its pristine and slender appearance, standing at 68.5 meters tall, crowned with a 1.10-meter diameter copper sphere covered in gold, for which 60 ducats were melted down. However, its appearance was not always like this. In fact, there was a tower dating back to 1590 that was demolished in 1851 due to structural elasticity issues and the falling of stones.

The current neo-Gothic structure, designed by the Viennese engineer Hermann Bergmann, was built using blocks of white Dolomite, the same found on the Dolomites. The blocks were sourced from the quarry in Crepedel, except for elements requiring more detailed craftsmanship, such as the pinnacles, for which granite from Falzes was used.

Excavation of the foundations began in 1852 under the initiative of Silvestro Franceschi, and the land was stabilized with 400 larch logs. In August of the same year, the cornerstone was blessed, and construction proceeded using the summer months until 1858. That Christmas, the six bells of the new and imposing “Ciampanín” rang for the first time. These were exceptional bells, cast in 1857 in Innsbruck by the renowned Grassmayr company and tuned in the key of B-flat.

Their history is also remarkable. While passing through Cortina, Carlo d’Austria heard them ring and saved them from being melted down to be turned cannon lead for World War I. Of the more than a thousand bells cast by Grassmayr, only 9 survived replacement, and 6 of these are together in a single chime in Cortina.

The Church of Madonna della Difesa: A Story of Faith and Tradition

The presence of a “Casa di Dio” in the area of Bigontina dates back to 1337, where the Confraternity of the Battuti gathered. In 1482, the first church dedicated to Madonna della Difesa was consecrated.

But what events inspired the dedication to the Virgin armed with a sword? The earliest record of a miraculous intervention dates back to 572 and the invasion of Cadore by the Lombards: the Virgin, armed with a sword, is said to have enveloped the invaders in a dense fog, confusing them to the point that they ended up killing each other, with no losses for the Ampezzani.

The second event took place in 1412 when a small group of Ampezzani and Cadore people managed to stop Sigismund of Luxembourg’s army at Cimabanche with the help of the Madonna. This led to the establishment of the Voto festival, which is still celebrated on January 19th.

The church features a simple façade, with a fresco of the Madonna della Difesa above the entrance.
Inside, rich painted and sculptural decorations surround a wooden statue of the Madonna dating back to the 14th century, creating an atmosphere of deep history and devotion.

The Sestieri of Cortina: The Heart of Local Tradition

The Sestieri of Cortina are the six territorial divisions of the municipality and, above all, represent the beating heart of a vibrant and active community throughout the year.

Their history dates back to the Centene of Cadore — portions of land inhabited by around one hundred families and overseen by an Officiale, supported by decani who supervised smaller villages of about ten families each.

In the 15th century, Cortina was reorganized into six areas: Cortina, Azon, Staolin, Mortisa, Cadin, and Chiave. Over time, these evolved into the present-day Sestieri: Cortina, Azon, Alverà, Zuel, Cadin, and Chiave, traditionally represented on local maps of the valley.

Even today, the Sestieri continue to play an important role in community life. They promote social cohesion, support families — especially through sports activities for children — and organize traditional events such as the winter and summer Palio, as well as outdoor celebrations and gatherings that strengthen the sense of belonging and community.