Museum Ladin Ćiastel de Tor

The consciousness of the own language is decisive for the identity of the Dolomite Ladin speaking population in the Val Badia and Val Gardena valleys (South Tyrol), in the Val di Fassa valley (Trentino) and at Livinallongo and Ampezzo (Belluno). The language is not only a mean of self-assertion towards the outerworld, but also a connection between the five Ladin valleys - still today the original Ladin language, a Romance dialect, is spoken. The Museum Ladin Ćiastel de Tor is dedicated to this particular piece of the culture and language of South Tyrol.

In 2001 the museum was inaugurated in Badia Castle (Ćiastel de Tor), a castle dating back to 1230 AD. The museum provides an insight into language, history, culture, legends and craftwork of the Ladin population. The focus is set on the Ladin language and tradition, but also archaeological findings of the Stone Age are exhibited. Furthermore you can admire exhibits from the fields of geology (formation of the Dolomites), tourism and economy as well as local craftsmanship. In 2011 a branch of the Museum Ladin was inaugurated in San Cassiano in the Alta Badia, the Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus which is completely dedicated to the cave bear of the Conturines.

The Museum Ladin is one of the 11 Provincial Museums of South Tyrol, an entity that also comprises other museums such as the South Tyrol Mining Museums in the Valle Aurina valley or the South Tyrolean Cultural History Museum at Castel Tyrol. And how to reach the Museum Ladin Ćiastel de Tor? From San Martino in Badia (St. Martin in Thurn), approx. 20 km from Brunico, a small road leads up to the castle. The museum offers a free parking space as well as a small parking garage, the bus stop is a 5-minute walk away.