Museum Gherdëina facts for kids
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| Established | 1960 |
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| Location | Urtijëi |
| Type | Archeology, geology, history, toys |
The Gherdëina Local Heritage Museum opened in 1960. It's located in Urtijëi, a town in northern Italy. The museum is in a building called Cësa di Ladins. This building is also home to a group called the Union di Ladins de Gherdëina. They work to protect the Ladin language and culture in the Val Gherdëina area. There's also a special library in the building. It has many books about the Ladin language and culture.
The museum's collections help you learn about the culture and nature of Val Gherdëina. You can explore two floors filled with amazing things. These include wood carvings from the last 300 years. There are also old wooden toys made right here. You can see paintings by local artists. The museum also shows local archaeology, fossils, and minerals. Plus, you can learn about the plants and animals of the region.
Contents
Exploring the Museum Gherdëina
Welcome to the Museum
When you first enter, you'll see several cool art pieces. One is the Crucifix of Sëurasass, made in 1932. It was created by Baptist Walpoth and Vinzenz Peristi. There's also an oil painting by Josef Moroder-Lusenberg. It shows Urtijëi as it looked in 1860. You can also see three modern paintings by Franz Noflaner.
Art from St. James Church
The first room has sculptures that used to be in the St. James church in Urtijëi. These were made by Melchior (1622–1689) and Kassian (1710–1789) Vinazer. The Vinazer family was famous for wood carving in Gherdëina. They had a big impact on the art made here.
You'll also see the original altarpiece from St. James church. It was painted in 1751 by Franz Sebald Unterberger. The painting shows the Virgin Mary with her child. It also features Saints James and Henry.
Wooden Sculptures Through Time
The second room is all about wood carving. It shows how this art has changed over hundreds of years in Gherdëina. You'll find works from the first famous carving families, like Trebinger (1580–1689) and Vinazer (1622–1817). There's a Saint Philomena of Rome by Dominik Mahlknecht (1796–1876). You can also see sculptures by 20th-century artists. These include Albin Pitscheider, Luis Insam-Tavella, and Vinzenz Peristi.
This room also has many small sculptures. They range from the 1700s to the mid-1900s. You might see clock stands, funny caricatures, and figures that represent ideas. There are also cribs, crib figures, and animal statues. A special display features 120 figures by Albin Pitscheider (1877–1962). His daughters gave these amazing carvings to the museum. You can also see paintings by Josef Moroder-Lusenberg (1846–1939). Other local artists like Sontheimer, Demetz, and Piazza are also featured.
The Natural History of the Dolomites
The third room explores the natural history of the area. You'll learn about how the western Dolomites mountains formed. There are charts and pictures that explain geology. The museum worked with professors from the University of Ferrara on this section. You can see a collection of local fossils, rocks, and minerals.
Some cool fossils on display include ancient plant remains called Ortiseia. There are also many snail shell imprints. You can see a fossilized fish called Archaeolepidotus leonardii Accordi. A reconstructed skeleton of an Ichthyosaurus, an ancient sea reptile, is also here. You'll also find fossilized coral and ammonites.
Besides local minerals, there are minerals from other mountain areas. These include rock crystal, garnet, and amethyst. This room also shows the many different plants and animals of the Alps. There's a collection of dried plants (a herbarium). You can see stuffed animals, like an albino roe deer and local birds. There's even a butterfly collection.
As you go up the stairs to the second floor, look for the Fastentuch. This is a special Lenten cloth from the St. James's church. It was made between 1620 and 1630.
Fun with Wooden Toys
This room is a highlight for many visitors! It's full of old wooden toys from Gherdëina. This collection was mostly put together by Johann Senoner-Vastlé before World War II. It shows a great variety of toys made in Gherdëina from 1750 to 1940. You can see the typical Gherdëina jointed doll. These are also called dutch dolls, peg dolls, or stick dolls. They come in many different sizes.
Ancient Times in Gherdëina
A special section on the second floor is about the valley's prehistory. You'll see amazing Stone Age tools found at Plan de Frea. These flint tools are some of the oldest traces found in Gherdëina. They are from around 7000-5000 B.C.
There's also evidence from the Bronze Age (about 1700-750 B.C.). This includes a bronze dagger from the Balest mountain. You can also see bronze needles from Resciesa and Mastlé in the Gherdëina Valley. The Iron Age finds are from Col de Flam, a hill near Urtijëi. These include burial items from cremation graves. You might see fibulae (brooches), rings, and iron spearheads. There are also glass beads, bronze pendants, and various tools from 400-15 B.C. (the Latène period).
The Life of Luis Trenker
Another section on the second floor is dedicated to Luis Trenker. He was born in Urtijëi in 1894 and passed away in Bolzano in 1990. Luis Trenker was a writer, actor, film director, and rock climber. This exhibit shows his personal belongings. You can see awards, medals for bravery, and film prizes. These include a Golden Globe and a Filmband in Gold. The Trenker family gave these items to the museum in 2004.
Images for kids
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Life size model of Cymbospondylus spec.
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fossil
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baroque crest
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dutch doll
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altarpiece from the Saint Jacob church
