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Tourist Info Villabassa
Via Stazione 3
I-39039 Villabassa (BZ)
Alta Pusteria - South Tyrol - Dolomites - Italy
Phone: 0039 0474 745136
Fax: 0039 0474 745283
E-Mail: info@villabassa.it
Family, traditions and customs in Villabassa
Carol Singers
During the first few days of the new year the Three Wise Men (the carol singers) visit all houses in the village. Singing songs they inform the people about the Magi. When they leave the house, they write the letters "C+M+B" and the year on the top of the entry door with consecrated chalk. By mistake, people often think that these letters are the initials of the names Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (the names of the Three Wise Men). In reality however, these letters represent a religious saying, namely "Christus Mansionem Benedictat", which means "Christ bless this house". The people give the carol singers some money, which is mainly used for the missions.
Carnival
Several events take place from Carnival Thursday to Pancake Tuesday. Especially children love this period. They dress up in different carnival costumes and celebrate. An insider's tip are the tasty Carnival donuts made from yeast dough. The donuts are filled with jam and baked in hot oil.
Andreas Hofer
At the time of the French Revolution, South Tyrol was also involved in the battles in Europe. These were terrible years for Tyrol: the population suffered confiscation and invasion. The population went into open opposition, and the country was defended under the command of Andreas Hofer, owner of the Sandwirt guesthouse. Every year on the 20th of February, South Tyrol commemorates the day of death of Andreas Hofer, who was condemned to death in 1810 in the Mantova Fortress.
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Passion Week. Palm Sunday even has a special meaning for families in their homes: the last one to get out of bed on this day is called "Palm Donkey". School children make a big "palm broom" from palm and olive branches and decorate it with coloured bands. On Palm Sunday this broom is brought to church for consecration. The blessed broom is then tied to the garden fence and left there until the Assumption. In case of thunder storms and lightning in summer, these branches are burned in the oven in order to turn the storm away. An olive and willow branch are put onto the family altar in the traditional wooden "Stube" room.
Easter Week
The Thursday in the Passion Week is called Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday). According to old traditions the Easter eggs are coloured on this day. The eggs, which are laid on Holy Thursday are brought for consecration on Easter Sunday.
On Good Friday, the Holy Sepulchre is put up in the "Hospital Church" in Villabassa. Coloured glass balls are filled with water and erected around the sepulchre. Burning paraffin lights or candles light up the glass balls and surround the sepulchre and the "dead Christ" with a magic light. The Easter Sepulchre in Villabassa is said to be one of the most beautiful in South Tyrol.
The Easter tree is put up on Holy Saturday. Willow branches are put into a vase, and decorated with empty and coloured eggs, chicks, wooden Easter bunnies and bows.
On Easter Sunday the Easter meal is brought into church for consecration by the priest: ham, bacon, sausages, coloured eggs, horseradish, bread, cake, and Easter bread are put into the "consecration basket". The consecrated food is then eaten for lunch on Easter Sunday.
At Easter, the children receive presents from their godmothers and godfathers: coloured eggs, chocolate Easter bunnies, sweet bread, and often also clothes.
Egg fights
On Easter Sunday after mass, the people meet at Piazza von Kurz square, where the traditional egg fights take place. Coloured eggs are hit against each other - first tip to tip, and then the round sides of the eggs. The winner is the one, whose egg did not break.
The egg incorporates the secret of life. Especially at Easter after the long weeks of Lent, the egg played an important role. Eggs served as food, as a symbol of life, purity, fertility, and as a natural means of paying for debts, and often as a small, artistically decorated, and lovely gift. Hence, it is important to win many eggs at the egg fight. After the egg fight children go home and look for Easter baskets in their gardens.
This year the egg fights will again take place on Piazza von Kurz square from 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday. The eggs can be purchased directly at the village square: the young farmers from Villabassa colour the eggs and write the letters SBJ onto the eggs, so nobody can cheat. The winners get great prizes.
Processions
During the course of the year 4 processions take place in Villabassa: at Pentecost, and Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart of Jesus, and on the 2nd Sunday in October for Thanksgiving. All these processions take place after mass in the morning. The entire village population meets up and forms different groups like the music band, the firemen or the "Schützen". It is a great honour to carry the Holy Statues and flags at the procession.
Mountain Fires
On Sacred Heart of Jesus Sunday traditional mountain fires are lit throughout the whole of South Tyrol. In some villages the fires have special shapes, and the windows of the houses are lit up with beautiful transparent pictures.
Confetti Battle
On the 15th of August, "Ferragosto" day (the Assumption) - an Italian bank holiday, celebrations take place everywhere in Villabassa. The Confetti Battle at the music pavilion in Villabassa is an entertaining experience. The original custom of the "Confetti and Flower Festival" dates back to 1923 and was probably brought to South Tyrol by Italian guests. This celebration is still alive and is very popular throughout South Tyrol. The festivities in Villabassa start at 8.30 p.m. with a lampion parade with children and headed by a group of riders, and accompanied by the local music band. Afterwards, the music chapel has a concert at the music pavilion.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated on the 2nd Sunday in October. On this day, the population thank God for the successful harvest. The Thanksgiving procession takes place after mass. A Thanksgiving crown (formed from gleans) is carried in the procession.
San Martino
The celebrations of St. Martin take place on the 11th of November. The children from kindergarten and from the primary school make coloured lanterns. Together with their families the children have a lantern parade on the day of St. Martin when it gets dark. They stroll through the streets and sing cheerful songs about the Saint. The parade ends in the parish church where the children present a play.
Nicholas and "Krampus"
Saint Nicholas was a bishop from Mira in Asia Minor. His bones were stolen by merchants and brought to Bari, where the basilica was constructed in his honour. He is the patron Saint of the city of Bari, Russia and Greece, as well as of sailors and toddlers. This is one of the reasons, why children in South Tyrol look forward to the 6th of December. Saint Nicholas goes from house to house to bring sweets and gifts to the children. He gets accompanied by his little helper Ruprecht and an angel. He also holds a "Golden Book", where all good things and minor wrongs of the children are noted. Good children receive a red bag with sweets; and bold children receive a wick.
On the day before, hence on the 5th of December, the towns' boys dress up as a "Krampus", a type of devil, and stroll though the streets. They are wrapped up in sheep wool and wear large masks in their faces. The bells hung on the belts make scary noises, and the chains and wicks act as a deterrent and are feared by children.
In years gone by, Saint Nicholas was accompanied by the "Krampus" as a symbol of the evil in humans. Then, the bags were filled with mandarins, peanuts and some biscuits. These were really valuable gifts at the time, since not everybody could afford to buy mandarins. Gingerbread was covered with sugar and decorated with coloured granulate.
Every two years, the Krampus group in Villabassa organises a show run, where numerous "Krampus" groups from the Puster Valley, but also from the rest of South Tyrol and East Tyrol meet. The Villabassa Krampus group is the biggest group of its kind in South Tyrol.
At the Tourism Association or in the Event Calendar you'll find more information about the exact dates and outline programme.
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