Primiero’s hidden world

Who were the Bergknappen?

This is their original name, but among Latin-speaking populations we know them by the name of canopi, which is easier for the locals to pronounce. They were miners from Bohemia and Tyrol, recognisable by their linen smock with a pointed hood, which served to “feel” the roof of the tunnels and avoid hitting one’s head against it. The canopi also wore a leather apron, which was worn on the back in order to protect buttocks and thighs when crouching. 

The miners were paid well, but their work was very hard and their life expectancy was low. The spaces were narrow and the only tools used were a mallet and a pick with which miners stole from the mountain one centimetre after another. The miners descended in the mountain belly in threes, in eight-hour shifts, surrounded by darkness and humidity, breathing in the metalliferous rock being gradually chipped away. 

The Palace of Mines

Our journey in the footsteps of the canopi starts from this fortified palace, administrative centre and treasure chest of extracted silver, built in the second half of the 15th century.  

Today it hosts temporary exhibitions and a permanent exhibition that tells the story of Primiero. In summer, the surrounding area hosts the Bergknappen Primör for three days. The event is a historical reenactment that gives visitors the chance to admire the reconstruction of a medieval mining village, directly participate in the mineral processing, walk through a reconstruction of a mining tunnel and enjoy the evening show, reliving the atmosphere of the time. 

The appointment in 2025 is in august.

In the footsteps of the canopi

The history of the miners is not limited to the Palace and its spaces, but winds along the streets of the village, in a walk of about an hour that crosses the valley. The walk comprises eight stages, each detailing the history of the canopi in Primiero, through audio guides that can be downloaded with a QR code and listen to on a smartphone. 

The itinerary starts right from the Palace of Mines, arriving in the town of Transacqua, near the Friole gallery of the siderite mine. 

To stay on topic, we recommend another walk, along the Via della frutta antica. It is an itinerary suitable for everyone. It traverses the ancient fruit trees along the Via Nova that connects Pieve (Primiero San Martino di Castrozza) with the Gobbera Pass. It is the same road that the canopi once travelled to go to work. 

Along the stoli of the Great War

If the canopi explored the heart of the mountain in search of riches, centuries later other men began to dig tunnels into the rock again. This time, however, it was to seek shelter from the cold and from enemies. We are in the years between 1915 and 1918, and Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are engaged in the Great War. 

A peculiar war was fought in the Trentino mountains, where the main threat did not wear a particular uniform and did not give anyone any discounts. In the mountains, before shooting, the primary concern was to protect against gelid wind and the snow. So the soldiers carved into the rock to build tunnels and galleries, called “stoli”, from the German “Stollen”, which means “tunnel”. 

Thanks to careful restoration and safety work, from the summer of 2025 some of these stoli will be reopened to the public through guided tours that travel through the remains of trenches and mule tracks used during the First World War.