San Martino in Badia
Badia: a municipality immersed in the Dolomites
Badia is a municipality located in the autonomous province of Bolzano, in Trentino-South Tyrol, with a population of around 3481 inhabitants. It is a scattered municipality composed of the hamlets of Pedraces, San Leonardo, La Villa, and San Cassiano, located in Alta Badia, at the foot of the Dolomites and on the border with Veneto. Badia is one of the valleys where the use of the Ladin language is still alive, a Romance language present in its local form, Badiotto. The municipality is part of the comprehensive community of the Val Pusteria and is surrounded by important natural parks such as the Fanes - Sennes and Braies Natural Park and the Puez-Odle Natural Park.
Among the mountains
Badia is situated between the mountains of the district and is surrounded by important Dolomite peaks such as Lagazuoi (2,778 m), Cima Cunturines (3,064 m), La Varella (3,055 m), Monte Cavallo (Eastern Dolomites of Badia) (2,907 m), and Monte Gardenaccia (2,500 m). Among these mountains are also important natural parks that enhance the beauty and richness of the territory.
History and origin of the name
The history of Badia is intimately linked to the colonizing work that, in the Middle Ages, was advocated by the Order of Saint Benedict of Castel Sonnenburg in the nearby Val Pusteria. Badia belonged to the judicial district of Marebbe until the end of the First World War and was part of the Brunico district. The name Badia is attested for the first time in 1325, as ''Aptei,'' in 1347 as ''Badia,'' and in 1411-1412 as ''Abbadia'' and ''Abbatia.'' The toponym is linked to the abbey of Castel Badia near Brunico.
The coat of arms of the municipality
The coat of arms of the municipality of Badia represents the family 'Winkler von Colz zu Rubatsch', who in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries had properties in the municipality and a castle of the same name in La Villa (Badia). The shield is fracted (heraldry); in the upper part, there is a black ibex holding a red branch in its forelegs on a gold background. The lower part is divided into three with the upper vertex; the three sections are alternated in silver and red with a rose in the center of each of the opposite color, and the central petal is gold. The coat of arms dates back to 1967.
Monuments and places of interest
Among the monuments and emblematic places of Badia, there is the Sanctuary of Santa Croce above Badia, located at the foot of Sasso di Santa Croce, not far from the hamlet of San Leonardo. The Sanctuary is a meeting point for mountaineers, who go there to enjoy the panoramic view of the Dolomites. Another place of interest is Castel Colz in La Villa (Badia), an ancient manor dating back to the sixteenth century, which now houses a museum. Finally, there is the Church of Saints James and Leonard, built in the late eighteenth century in Baroque style near the hamlet of San Leonardo. The single nave is richly decorated with frescoes by Matthäus Günther and has a bell tower with a particular hourglass church.
In summary, Badia is a municipality immersed in the beauty of the Dolomites, which offers its visitors the opportunity to go hiking, enjoy the panoramic view, and learn about the history of these places through its monuments and churches.
