Madonna di Campiglio

Madonna di Campiglio and its history.

Renowned tourist resort at 1550 m in summer, with its wonderful walks in the Natural Park Adamello Brenta, in winter with the multitude of ski lifts, cable cars  and ski slopes that connect to the ski area of Madonna di Campiglio to Folgarida Marilleva with single pass Superskirama for more than 130 km. of slopes.

History ... ..

Throughout history, Madonna di Campiglio has had at least three names. Founded a few years after 1180 the current Madonna di Campiglio appears in some historical documents with a strange name, without any meaning and that has three variants: "Ambani" (1188) "Ambeno" (1221) "Ambino" (1122) and the last name mentioned, "Ambino" is very similar to that which today is used to indicate a small valley at the north of the center of Madonna di Campiglio called "Nambino.

These variations are justified by an important factor: the village was inhabited by a very small number of people, not stable and not spoken with her at the mercy of those who make that inevitable move from one valley to another, passing from Madonna di Campiglio . Having no references on the word "Ambino" one of the more plausible assumptions about the foundation of the role of the locality: junction of the Val di Sole and Val Rendena then 2 valleys, the root word is "Ambo" which in Latin means " both "; Madonna di Campiglio connects both valleys.

In 1222 a Monaco Oprando named, residing in what was Madonna di Campiglio, published four "lettere patenti" (open letters) as indicated by prelates indulgences for those who had done Charity Hospital (Hospice) at which the monaco exercised faith, the Hospital of the glorious Mother of God Mary of Ambino. The name is easier Campiglio, short for "field", a small plain, "the old Madonna di Campiglio looked like a plain or clear to those who had gone up by either party (Val di Sole and Val Rendena ) the steep slope.

Arose, in more recent times, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary's name was always accompanied Campiglio that of its patron saint, for many centuries the town was called St. Maria di Campiglio and more recently Madonna di Campiglio.

Continuing with the story we come to the Romantic period and the glittering Vienna of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, whose beauty was renowned, Elisabeth of Wittelsbach, which passed into history and myth as Princess Sissi. We are near the end of the nineteenth and Madonna di Campiglio is already one of the most beautiful holiday resort of the Habsburg Empire. Sissi and Franz spent a lovely holiday away from the din of Vienna. In the same rooms where once the emperor, in honor of the princess was celebrating the Grand Ball, now you can relive the glories of the past to the tune of "The Blue Danube."

.... Sissi .... One of the most fascinating personalities of the nineteenth century, was born in the forests of Bavaria and was very young, the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. In 1854 the imperial couple was married and the celebrations were great. Alongside the Emperor in one of the longest reigns in history, 68 years, and in a location epicenter of economic, cultural and artistic, Sissi always tried to escape from the rigid ceremonial of the Court traveling a lot. He met Madonna di Campiglio in 1889 for a short stay in a particularly dramatic period in his life.

Madonna di Campiglio in those years was already an established holiday resort for rich and noble lovers from across Europe show that nature offers and hunting. A lover of nature and poetry (and Madonna di Campiglio is well suited as a source of inspiration and literary references) Sissi wanted to come back after 6 years with Franz Joseph, the imperial couple to welcome all the villages that have fun and fireworks for the passage of spouses who were staying in a hotel in Madonna di Campiglio (Grand Hotel Des Alpes). It feels like a "pinch" of Vienna with the ladies of the company's aides, the court rituals that encircle the magnificent peaks of the Adamello Brenta.

Madonna di Campiglio will remain an anchor for the monarch and his wife, and the echo of those moments came up today with the celebration of the "Carnival of the Hapsburg Empire." A week of lavish events that begins with the arrival of the imperial couple on a horse-drawn carriage and escorted by guards. There are numerous organized parties but the highlight of the event is the "Grand Ball" in the Hofer hall on the notes of the unforgettable waltzes of Strauss.

Permalink Send page Print PDF