At the beginning and end of the year, you can marvel at snow sculptures in Selva Gardena and ice sculptures in Ortisei
The history of wood carving in the Val Gardena dates back to the 17th century. "What can be made from wood can also be created from snow and ice" - this must have been the thought of the artists who have been showcasing their creativity and originality at the snow sculpture competition in Selva Gardena for almost three decades. The theme changes with each edition.
A few years ago, the theme was "50 Years of the Ski World Cup in Val Gardena". The resulting artworks are judged by the public and a jury. At the end of December, artists from various countries have three days to carve their sculptures from 3x3x3-metre blocks of snow, without using any motorised tools. The sculptures can then be admired for weeks.
Incidentally, there are several snow sculpture competitions in South Tyrol, including those in San Candido and San Vigilio. A month later, at the end of January, the ice sculptures follow in Ortisei.
These are also created by artists and students, who work on rectangular ice blocks measuring 16x16x80 cm using hammers and chisels, chainsaws, and gas burners. Participants also include students from "Cademia", the provincial vocational school for arts and crafts, who specialise in woodcarving. The sculptures then adorn the pedestrian zone of Ortisei for some time, which is known as "the most beautiful shopping street in the Dolomites". Impressive!
