Every place has a story. San Martino di Castrozza is a centuries-long journey, made up of mountains, travellers, pioneers and visions capable of transforming a small alpine settlement into one of the best-known tourist resorts in the Dolomites.
Its origins are linked to the ancient hospice of Saints Martino and Giuliano, documented as early as the 13th century and founded to welcome pilgrims and travellers in transit through Passo Rolle. For centuries this place was an important reference point along the Alpine routes. The turning point came in the second half of the nineteenth century, when the Pale di San Martino began to attract English and German explorers and mountaineers, fascinated by the beauty and grandeur of these mountains. In 1871 the road connecting Primiero and Fiemme was built and, the following year, the Alpine Hotel was born, the first step of a new season. Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, elegant hotels arose, which welcomed aristocrats, travellers and distinguished guests from all over Europe. It was the Belle Époque: San Martino became a renowned holiday destination.
The First World War abruptly interrupted this season: in 1915 the town was burned and almost completely destroyed, sparing only the church. After the war, an extraordinary reconstruction work began, which brought the town back to life and accompanied its growth. Winter sports and the first ski lifts also developed in the 1920s and 1930s, paving the way for a new tourist vocation.
Today, through photographs, vintage postcards, advertising images and testimonies of the past, this walk along Via Fontanelle invites you to rediscover the roots of the town, its protagonists and the transformations that have built its identity.
A journey through memory to get to know San Martino di Castrozza better and see the place we know today with new eyes.
The panels on display come from the Marco Toffol Collection.
