Penia di Canazei

This typical mountain village has become a tourist destination over the last years. From the centre start several hiking paths to Mt Marmolada, Mt Monzoni and to the Sella group. It is situated along the Via Alpina, a route crossing the Alps from east to west. Penia is only three kilometres from the centre of Canazei and is the last locality of the valley before passo Fedaia and the Marmolada. Its name is said to derive either from the Latin term Pendiva which refers to the slope the village stands on, or from the Ladin proverb 'Penìa, che più en ite no l'è nia' which means 'After Penia there is nothing.' The inhabitants still have a peculiar nickname. They were hard-working farmers who often suffered hernias especially during the cold season and therefore earned themselves the nickname Bèles which means "hernia".

The Saints Sebastian and Roch church was built in the mid-16th century and enlarged in 1845. Its external appearance is simple and on the left stands the bell tower with its square-shaped floorplan. The origin of this monument is surrounded by a popular legend according to which the church was planned to be built in a different place. As a flock of birds moved the sand needed for its construction to the 'Col de Lagnol', this event was interpreted as a Divine Manifestation which was, of course, followed. Other cultural attractions are the Venetian Sawmill (Segheria Veneziana) housing the local section of the Ladin Museum situated at the foot of the village, and the Museo Dantone retracing the history of the Fassa Valley. We highly recommend undertaking alpine tours on the surrounding peaks or a wonderful hike through the Valle del Contrin a typical valley characterised by several wooden huts where you can still watch the locals produce delicious mountain cheese.

Penia includes also the two detached settlements Lorenz and Verra where only few families live. Verra used to be the highest settlement of Trentino at 1,675 m a.s.l. and owes its name to the Ladin word "Vera" meaning "fertile meadow". Lorenz at 1,636 m a.s.l. is overlooked by a church consecrated to Mary, Help of Christians built in 1732. The current cross was crafted by the local artist Andrea Soraperra to replace the previous cross stolen in 1979.