The iron road

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.