Woodcarving is a traditional craft in South Tyrol that is still very much alive today. Each individual woodcarving proves how creative the handwork with wood can be. In each piece, in addition to a lot of attention to detail and skill, there is also a good portion of dexterity.

For carving, a wide range of wood species is suitable, such as pine, chestnut or linden. The longer you spend carving wood, the better your feeling for what each type of wood is most suitable for. Even root wood or old wood can be used for carving. Often, the particular grain also decides which sculpture it becomes in the end. The farmers are inspired by old symbols and figures anchored in the rural tradition. Often these are then reinterpreted and presented in modern form.

Woodcarving in South Tyrol

In the Gardena Valley, especially statues of saints and nativity figures have been made for centuries in winter as a secondary source of income. A unique experience is the visit to the largest hand-carved Christmas crib in the world, which can be admired every year during Advent in S. Cristina. The first figure of the crib was created in the 1980s in the form of Mary with the baby Jesus. Over the years, various artists from Val Gardena have produced other figures and added them to the crib. Still today, new sculptures are added again and again.