The Gadertal / Val Badia Viles

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.