Do you know the history of the canòpi?
In Valsugana and Valle dei Mocheni, within tunnels and galleries in the Alps
In Valsugana, some walks can amaze you. Just a stone’s throw from Lago Santa Colomba you will find tunnels that penetrate into the belly of the earth and lead you to a world hidden beneath the surface, to tell you a story hidden by darkness and by the centuries. Written in a language born in the mines, known only in a small valley in Trentino.
Your journey begins in an “enchanted valley” twenty kilometres from Trento, the Valle dei Mocheni. Here you will go in search of treasures buried in the earth, underground tunnels and men and women who crossed the Alps in search of fortune.
Parco Miniere Lagorai Mining Park
It is the key stop in discovering the history of mining in Valsugana throughout the centuries. Mines, archaeological sites, themed routes and museums are widespread throughout the territory: a journey that begins in the Bronze Age and continues until the 1960s.
Sentiere delle Canòpe Trail
“Canòpe” was the name given to the tunnels dug by the miners who worked in Alta Valsugana in the Middle Ages, called, in fact, “canòpi”. This easy-to-do walk, which starts and ends on the meadows of the Lago di Santa Colomba, retraces their footsteps so that, hidden among coniferous and broadleaf forests, you may discover the entrance to ancient tunnels, dug into the rock centuries ago.
Castel Pergine
Starting in 1502 Pergine housed the seat of the mining Judge and the village was a reference point in Trentino for mining activity. This was the site of the “casa dei canopi”, the seat of the confraternity founded in the 16th century that brought together the miners active in the area of Pergine since the Middle Ages. All the more reason to discover this village and its beautiful castello, where you can stop and have a candlelit dinner.
Pieve Tesino and its museums
Famous for being the birthplace of statesman Alcide De Gasperi, Pieve Tesino is one of the Borghi più Belli d’Italia, Italy's most beautiful villages. If you want to know the history of the inhabitants of these lands, this is where you must go! The Per Via Museum tells you an incredible story, that of the print sellers who, starting from this corner of Trentino, conquered the capitals of Europe.
Arte Sella
From the rocks in the heart of the mountains to the wood of trees sculpted by the wind: if there is a place where matter is the protagonist, that place is Arte Sella. An open-air gallery of works of art made from natural materials, which are born and live with the rhythm of the seasons. A unique place. The perfect conclusion to your journey in Valsugana.
