# Urtijëi

Urtijëi (Ladin: ; German: St. Ulrich in Gröden; Italian: Ortisei) is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol in northern Italy. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps.

## Geography

Urtijëi borders the following municipalities: Kastelruth, Villnöß, Lajen, and Santa Cristina Gherdëina.

## History

The Ladin-language name Urtijëi derives from the Latin word urtica and the suffix -etum, with the meaning "place of nettles".
From 1860 to 1914, Urtijëi experienced a relevant economic growth due to the opening of a major road connecting Val Gardena to the main railroad; as a result the local woodcarving industry flourished. International tourism developed through the discovery of the Dolomites first by English tourists, and subsequently visitors from other parts of Austria-Hungary as well as the German Empire. Currently, the town's economy is mostly based on winter skiing tourism, summer hiking tourism, and woodcarving.

### Coat of arms

The emblem shows Saint Ulrich, with the bishop's vestments and a gold cross in his right hand, mounted on a horse, with gold harness and a blue saddle pad, on three green mountains on a gold field. The emblem is decorated with a blue chief, with three small silver shields alternating with two golden bees; the bees symbolize the laboriousness of the inhabitants. The coat of arms was granted in 1907 and reappointed in 1970.
Blazon: Or, St Ulrich in bishops vestments with a cross Or in right hand, mounted on a white horse Proper with harness of the field and a saddle blanket Azure on a trimount Vert; On a chief Azure, two bees Or between three escutcheons Argent.

## Main sights

* Parish Church of Urtijëi, made in neoclassical style with baroque elements in the last part of the 18th century.
* Church of St. Jacob, of ancient foundation, it was remodeled in style Late-Gothic style during the 17th century. It preserves frescoes from the second half of the 15th century and copies of the original baroque furnishings.
* Church of St. Antonius, built in the second half of the 17th century, it combines the simple Renaissance style structure with a predominantly baroque decorative structure.
* Church of St. Anna, located in the perimeter of the municipal cemetery, it is in Late-Gothic style. Inside it preserves baroque furnishings.
* Museum Gherdëina, the local heritage museum, which preserves geological, paleontological and archaeological finds found in the area, as well as a collection of wooden sculptures and toys.
* The Luis Trenker House of Culture, housed in a building designed by the architect Hubert Prachensky (1916–2009), preserves the ancient bell of the Magister Manfredinus.
* The bronze statue of the Roman legionary, sculpted in wood in 1904 by Johann Baptist Moroder and fused in bronze in 2001, in front at Villa Venezia.
* Villa Venezia, home and workshop of the sculptor Johann Baptist Moroder, constructed between 1902 and 1903 following the venetian style of architecture.
* Roman legionary sculpted in wood in 1904 by Johann Baptist Moroder and fused in bronze in 2001.
* Church of St. Jacob
* The pasture Resciesa

## Society

According to the 2024 census, 79.75% of the population speaks Ladin, 10.35% German, and 9.90% Italian as first language.

## Notable people

* Luis Trenker (1892–1990), film producer, director, writer, actor, architect, alpinist and bobsledder
* Ernesto Prinoth (1923–1981), racing driver and founder of Prinoth AG
* Isolde Kostner (born 1975), former Alpine skier, medallist at the 1994 and 2002 Winter Olympics
* Carolina Kostner (born 1987), figure skater, lives in Urtijëi

### Moroder family

* Josef Moroder-Lusenberg (1846–1939), painter and sculptor
* Franz Moroder (1847–1920), politician and poet, the first mayor of Ortisei
* Johann Baptist Moroder (1870–1932), sculptor
* Rudolf Moroder-Lenèrt (1877–1914), sculptor specializing in religious art
* Ludwig Moroder (1879–1953), sculptor and teacher
* Friedrich (Rico) Moroder (1880–1937), sculptor
* Adele Moroder (1887–1966), author and Ladin language writer
* Otto Moroder (1894–1977), sculptor
* David Moroder (1931–1997), luger and sculptor
* Giorgio Moroder (born 1940), singer, songwriter, DJ and record producer
* Egon Rusina Moroder (born 1949), painter and illustrator, lives in Ortisei