San Giacomo is known for its little church of the same name, the “dlieja da Sacun”, with its valuable Gothic frescoes
Image gallery: San Giacomo
If you drive a bit further into the valley from Ortisei, the farmhouses and houses of San Giacomo (St. Jakob) stretch out on a sunny slope. All around, the impressive peaks of the Val Gardena Dolomites rise, and above the hamlet, a church tower peeps out from the woods. It is the one of the Church of St. James, "dlieja da Sacun" in Ladin, the oldest church in the valley.
You can only reach it on foot: A 20-minute walk from San Giacomo or a hike of about an hour from Ortisei will take you to this little jewel with its valuable frescoes and the main altar by the Vinazer family of artists. The small church was first mentioned in 1283, but it is probably much older. After a fire in the 15th century, it had to be rebuilt: Its current Gothic appearance dates from this period.
Here on the southern slope of the Monte Pic, at about 1,500 metres above sea level, there is another important witness to past times. The "Troi Paian", the Pagan Path, which already existed in the Bronze Age, once led from the Valle Isarco over the Dolomite passes all the way to Venice.
The little Church of St. James along the ancient high-altitude trail served as a resting point and a destination for pilgrims, who turned here to St. James, the patron saint of pilgrims and hikers. Today, the historic path invites you to a hike in the footsteps of human history.
