A little magic in the mountains of Trentino
Wooden works built using the trees torn down by Storm Adrian
The Dragon, the Stag and the She-wolf: that might sound like the title of a teen fantasy novel, but we’re actually talking about three wooden animals in Trentino that your kids will absolutely adore! The towering figures have an incredible story to tell and both children and adults could learn a lot from it.
The three pieces were produced by the internationally renowned wood sculptor Marco Martalar using debris from trees torn down by Storm Adrian (also known as Vaia), which wreaked havoc in our mountains in the autumn of 2018. Originating in the Atlantic, the extreme weather event flattened millions of trees and destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of Alpine forests.
Martalar decided to collect broken branches and roots from the fallen trees and use them to create works that symbolize hope and recovery.
The wooden sculptures are free to visit and easily accessible: keep reading to find out where they are and how to get there.
The Vaia Stag
The Vaia Stag stands at 1,400 metres above sea level, in Millegrobbe on Alpe Cimbra. It is 2 km from Luserna and just over 12 km away from the Winged Dragon of Vaia.
The Lagorai
The Lagorai She-wolf can be seen at 1,600 metres above sea level in Valsugana. It stands near the hamlet of Vetriolo, which is home to the highest hot springs centre in Europe.
The Vaia Eagle
It is the largest wooden eagle in Europe, and you can admire it in Lower Valsugana. Another work of art by Marco Martalar, which, with its 7 metres in height and 5 metres in length, conveys, once again, the idea of rebirth and strength.
The Winged Dragon of Vaia
A huge winged dragon looked out over the landscape in Magré, in the Municipality of Lavarone. In August 2023 the Dragon was destroyed by human hands who set fire to it, leaving only ashes and wounds in its place. But Europe's largest wooden dragon is reborn at the beginning of summer 2024.
