Treasures of the Basilica
The Basilica of Saints Philip and James, built between 1769 and 1775 and restored in 1975, houses valuable works of art. Inside is the Late Baroque High Altar by Johannes Mussack with a painting by Antonio Zanchi and other masterpieces such as the fresco by Franz Anton Zeiler and Giuseppe Ghedina.
(3 min. walk from ATVO bus stop – Cortina bus station – via Marconi)
The Mystery of the Fifth Sibyl
In the vicinity of the church, in the Cassa Rurale ed Artigiana di Cortina, there is a 15th century fresco of the Sibyls, discovered by chance during a restoration at the end of the 19th century and which can be visited today simply by entering the ground floor of the bank.
(3 min. walk from ATVO bus stop – Cortina bus station – via Marconi)
A House like a Painting
Continuing along Corso Italia northwards, you come across the wonderful ‘Ciàsa de i Pùpe’, covered in frescoes: an artistic jewel created by the sons of Gaetano Ghedina Tomàš, offering a work of art to the heart of Cortina, with the faces of famous people. Who are the characters portrayed?
(5 min. walk from ATVO bus stop – Cortina bus station – via Marconi)
The House of Time
At the entrance to Via della Difesa, the old Via Regia, is one of the most characteristic buildings in Cortina, with a large clock on the wall, striking the hours and the inscription ‘Corazza d’Ampezzo’. What is the significance?
(5 minutes on foot from the ATVO bus stop – Cortina bus station – via Marconi)
For more in-depth information and answers to your curiosity, download the ATVO brochure on Cortina and the other resorts in the Dolomites along route 29
Venturing a little further afield:
The Castle in the Enchanted Place
Moving from the centre of Cortina along the Statale Alemagna road, 10 minutes by car or half an hour by bus or on foot, is Castello di Botestàgno. Today only the ruins remain, but it is worth a visit, not only for its historical value, but also for the spectacular view over the Ampezzo valley, along the Boite and the Monti Pallidi.
The Devil in Chains
The Church of the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes, in the hamlet of Grava, is particularly striking for two painted wooden sculptures by Corrado Pitscheider: one depicting St Lucia and the other St Michael the Archangel fighting a rather suggestive devil in chains.
