Val Gardena is one of five valleys with a majority of
Ladin speakers (two of these valleys are in
South Tyrol). The form of the Ladin language spoken in this valley is called
Gardenese in
Italian,
Grödnerisch in
German and
Gherdëina in
Ladin.
Woodcarving s was at its bloom. The woodcarving industry has flourished in Val Gardena since the 17th century. Since the 19th century,
statues and
altars carved in the area have been shipped to
Catholic Churches throughout the world. In the 18th century, besides religious statuettes, the production of woodcarved figurines of genre art was widespread in the valley. Among them statuettes of
beggars generally in pairs (female and male), four seasons, watchstands were very popular. In the 19th and 20th century, carving of wooden toys was such a widespread occupation in all Val Gardena families that
Amelia Edwards called Urtijëi the "capital of Toyland". One of the valley's best-known products is the
peg wooden doll which was popular all over Europe and America in the 19th century. In one of her many trips
Margaret Warner Morley went to Europe to Val Gardena where she was inspired to write the novel
Donkey John of the toy valley. The
Parish Church of Urtijëi displays a rich collection of statues carved by local artists in the last two centuries. The
Museum Gherdëina in Urtijëi owns a rich collection of historical wooden toys, and woodcarved statues and
figurines. ==Sports==