FROM THE ORIGINS TO TOURISM


The history of Cortina d’Ampezzo is touched by legend and drama, with the first settlements in the valley dating back to at least the 6th century AD. For centuries, the local community lived in the valley out of agriculture and timber trade. 

Cortina has been for centuries on the border between the Republic of Venice and Tyrol, at first being part of the former, then as a territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for over 400 years. Towards the mid-1800s, the first wealthy Anglo-Saxon, German and Russian travellers started visiting Cortina to discover and explore its beautiful mountains and nature, starting the long history of tourism in Cortina.

Thanks to newspaper articles and guidebooks written by pioneering mountaineers, Cortina d'Ampezzo was soon known all over the world as a destination for relax, sports and exploration, and the first hotels and mountain lodges started to be built.

 

THE FIRST WORLD WAR

An important part of the history of the First World War took place on the mountains of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the areas of the Lagazuoi, 5 Torri and Sass di Stria.
These locations, where tragic battles between Italians and Austrians occurred, have been restored and transformed into testimonies of the Great War. The result of such restoration project is a vast outdoor museum of the First World War, open for visitors all year round.

Along the hiking paths and the ski slopes, just moments away from the mountain lodges and climbing walls on Dolomites, one can visit the war tunnels at the Lagazuoi, experience first-hand the trenches and the positions at the 5 Torri, and enter the restored fort of Valparola. Together, these locations form the Open Air Museum of the Great War.

 

FROM THE OLYMPICS TO THE PRESENT DAY

The 1950s marked the beginning of the golden era of the Ampezzo valley. Hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics, the first Games broadcast live on television internationally, firmly established Cortina as a prestigious location for winter sports and a privileged stage for La Dolce Vita in the following decades.
Today, Cortina d'Ampezzo is an international tourist destination, venue of many international sports events, including the 2021 FIS World Ski Championships and 2026 Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina.

Its reputation as a world class tourist destination is the result of a conscious development with emphasis on preserving its natural landscapes and traditions.
Discover the buildings and venues used for the historic winter Olympics of 1956, held in Cortina, with the Olympic Tour! This itinerary, which includes the Eugenio Monti bobsleigh track and the Olympic Ice Stadium, is a veritable journey through time to discover the traces of the Games that left a mark not only in Cortina but also in the history of the Olympic Games.

A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME, FOLLOWING THE PATH OF THE OLYMPIC TORCH


The Olympic tour takes in the structures and facilities that symbolize the historic winter Olympics of 1956. We start at the Olympic Ice Stadium, undoubtedly the most important and a must-see venue, which still houses the brazier in which the Olympic Flame burned throughout the games. The building has an all-year ice rink open to the public with on-site skate rental and qualified instructors.

Next stop is the legendary Eugenio Monti bobsleigh run, just a short walk from the Ice Stadium, followed by the Olympic ski-jump in Zuel. These two facilities are both currently out of use.

The legendary Olympic downhill run in Tofana still hosts the Women's Ski World Cup races.

 

OLYMPIC ITINERARY

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