An ancient rural settlement tradition

Lower Gadertal/Val Badia has for centuries been characterised by small, compact hamlets, known as Viles, which are spread out regularly along the valley sides used for agriculture. In a harsh climate with difficult terrain, for centuries the life of the inhabitants was based on a unique mix of community organisation and self sufficiency. This meant that good and bad land was evenly spread across the farms, giving an ideal balance between arable and livestock farming, while woods and high alpine pasture were partly shared communally. It is this that distinguishes the ancient settlements from more recent, single farms, specialising in livestock. These developed in the late Middle Ages when feudal lords raised economic exploitation on the Dolomites to its highest level.

Part of a pre-industrial production system

From the late Middle Ages, the Bishops of Brixen/Bressanone operated profitable mines near Col de Santa Lizia/Colle Santa Lucia. The iron from this valuable ore was not smelted on site, but was transported to Andrac/Andraz and Arparoa/Valparola (Rü dla Fujina), where the woods could provide enough charcoal for the smelting furnace. Some members of farming families worked as miners in the pits and in the foundries, as well as transporting ore and charcoal-burning. Small forges sited along mountain streams in the Ladin regions worked the pig-iron.