The charm and magic of popular legends

No more than 200 years ago it was common belief that the Dolomites were haunted by mystical beings, ghosts, heroes and witches. Innumerable legends were passed on from generation to generation and had a deep impact on day-to-day life in the Ladin region: benevolent spirits afforded protection, evil ones brought misery and natural disasters. Whenever faced with inexplicable or tragic events, people tended to hold the spirit world responsible for them. To this day, many place names are reminiscent of this ancient world of magic.