Corvara in Badia
Discovering Badia: a commune immersed in nature
If you are looking for a location immersed in nature and mountains, Badia is the perfect choice for you. Located in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Trentino-Alto Adige, this scattered commune has a population of about 3,500 inhabitants and is composed of four hamlets: Pedraces, San Leonardo (Badia), La Villa (Badia) and San Cassiano (Badia). Badia is part of Val Badia, one of the valleys where the Ladin language is still spoken.
Geography of Badia
Badia is located in the Dolomites on the border with Veneto. Among the mountains of the area, there are two important natural parks: the Fanes-Sennes and Braies Nature Park and the Puez-Odle Nature Park. In the eastern part of the commune, there are the Dolomite peaks of Lagazuoi, Cima Cunturines, La Varella, Monte Cavallo (Eastern Dolomites of Badia) and to the west, Monte Gardenaccia.
Origins of the name and history of Badia
For the first time, the toponym Badia was found in historical documents in 1325 and 1341 as "Aptei," in 1347 as "Badia," and in 1411-1412 as "Abbadia" and "Abbatia." The name is connected to the Castel Badia abbey near Brunico. In the Middle Ages, the colonization work of the Order of Saint Benedict of Castel Sonnenburg in the nearby Val Pusteria favored the birth of the settlement and its farms. Until the end of World War I, Badia was part of the judicial district of Marebbe and was part of the district of Brunico.
In 2012, a large landslide destroyed one of the slopes between the localities Anvì and Sottrù, located between La Villa and San Leonardo. Despite the large area affected and the amount of material dumped downstream, only three houses were swept away.
The coat of arms of Badia
The coat of arms of the commune is that of the "Winkler von Colz zu Rubatsch" family, who owned properties and a castle in La Villa. The shield is cut and in the upper part, a black ibex is represented holding a red Mozzo branch in its front paws on a gold background. The lower part is divided into three with an upper vertex. The three sectors are alternated with silver and red, each with a rose at the center of the opposite color and the central petal in gold. The coat of arms was adopted in 1967.
Monuments and places of interest
Badia boasts several churches and monuments of great interest, including:
- The Church of Saints Giacomo and Leonardo, a Baroque building erected in the late 18th century near the hamlet of San Leonardo. The single nave is decorated with frescoes by Matthäus Günther.
- The Sanctuary of Santa Croce, located at the foot of Sasso di Santa Croce, not far from the hamlet of San Leonardo.
- The Colz Castle, located in La Villa and once owned by the Winkler von Colz zu Rubatsch family.
If you are a hiking enthusiast, we recommend visiting Badia to discover the beauty of its natural parks, traditional villages, and to admire the places of interest present in this ancient commune.
