In 1906, merchant Giuliani Mahlknecht built a four-floor Art Nouveau style villa on a field of his parents’ Sneton farm, now considered to be an authentic example of turn-of-the-century architecture in Val Gardena. Although he intended to expand the Pension Villa Hohenwart shortly afterwards, the First World War upended his plans, and the guesthouse was used to quarter soldiers. As no compensation was paid out to cover damages at the end of the war Mahlknecht had no option but to sell the building, which to-day houses apartments.

The old Wirtshaus zu Ianesc inn (Vedl Ianesc, now the Margherita shop) dates back to the 16th century. Here, in 1679, master Baroque sculptors had a memorable altercation with the ‘dabblers’ of the trade, whose amateur works could all too easily ruin their reputation.

In the 19th century alone, the inn changed hands three times, before Kristian Schmalzl relocated it to a new building next door. Although the Gasthaus zur Traube remained in the hands of the family, was leased out to tenant management from 1907 onwards.

For over two decades, it was possible to take a chairlift up to St. Jakob. The lift ran from today’s Stua Zirm farm up to the meadow below the Jakober Hof farm.

The chairlift, which Robert Höglinger from the Hotel Regina had purchased second-hand, first began running in 1848. In later years, it was converted into a gondola lift, and, in 1960, its ownership was transferred to Hansi Peristi from Banch. The lift was demolished in 1970.

In St. Jakob or, to be precise, from Pertan to the Gasthaus Somont, a small ski lift was also in operation from 1960 to 1969. 

The Val Gardena railway was built in just 5 months in 1915/16, as scheduled by outlines detailing the construction of a supply line for the Dolomite front. The railway ran between Klausen and Plan and, after the war had ended, continued to provide an important link with the Isarco Valley—also for the woodcarvings which were exported all over the world.

This angel candlestick on a marble column base was inspired by 17th-century Italy. Its form and colouring could have been inspired by existing ceramic items. The round face of the angel has ruddy cheeks, while there are brown curls painted on its forehead. Angel candlesticks were always produced in pairs and formed part of serial domestic art in Val Gardena in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Jester puppets in the form of people or animals were first produced in Oberammergau and also pop up in the Val Gardena range of the 19th century. Traditional jesters on sticks (in Ladin Cramaic) were manufactured until the First World War, and in modern form even until 1925. Bear jesters from Val Gardena were especially popular.

This cultural asset is part of the tour "Ortisei: a stroll through the village centre and its history".

Only a small selection of Val Gardena wooden toys were painted, and most of them were left unvarnished, known as 'white goods'. The simple mechanisms that the figures could be moved with made them fascinating objects. The body of the bucket carrier sways back and forth, while the scissors sharpener moves his feet to the turning of the wheels. Drumming monkeys, pecking hens, rocking horses, leaping clowns and lots more items were made.

Jointed dolls were the main item made by Gröden toy carvers from the 1840s until the First World War. The dolls were available in all sizes and the whole family was involved in their manufacture: arms, legs, face and body were produced separately, put together with wooden pegs or ball joints and the face was painted on. These jointed dolls were mainly sold in France and England.

This cultural asset is part of the tour "The turn-of-the-century economic boom in St. Ulrich: villas and workshops".

This artistically carved and delicately painted group of sculptures depicting the baptism of Christ in Jordan demonstrates the artistic quality of the baroque workshops. However, the Gröden masters had competition from young, unqualified wood carvers, who would carve during the winter without paying tax. On 1679, the masters made an appeal at Osteria Janesc, which was rejected due to the difficult economic situation of the wood carvers doing the work as a sideline. 

This work depicting the nativity story in bas-relief, painted and framed in wood, was created in the art school at St. Ulrich. The work is from 1960 under the guidance of teachers Luis Piazza and Mili Schmalzl. One of the students working on it was Martin Gurschler, who went on to have a career as an artist. 

This cultural asset is part of the tour "The turn-of-the-century economic boom in St. Ulrich: villas and workshops".