Canale d’Agordo

Canale d’Agordo is a little town only 5 km far from Falcade. It is surrounded by many important peaks of the Dolomites, as for example: Civetta, Pale di San Martino and Cime d’Auta.

It is the birth place of Albino Luciani who in 1978 was elected Pope as John Paul I, the Pope of Smile. The history of Canale d’Agordo is humble but rich of culture, art, hard working and faith. Many artists were born here: poets, clergymen, artists: Giuseppe Zais, Valerio Da Pos, Giuliano De Rocco.

In this village in 1872 Don Antonio della Lucia founded the first cooperative dairy in Italy. It is just few steps form the centre of the village.

An interesting museum to visit is the Museo della Latteria, a  little museum of dairy activities in Feder, a small hamlet of Canale d’Agordo.

Canale d’Agordo welcomes you with its main square dating back to 1300 on which there is the large church dedicated to San Giovanni Battista. This church hosts many important and rich works, among which it’s worth to mention the wooden tabernacle by a local artist Andrea Brustolon, known as Michelangelo of wood art.

A walk along the little roads of the village is recommended admiring the tabià, ancient burns which  nowadays have a great cultural and architectural value  and the Casa delle Regole, a very old little house dated back to 1640 which in the past was a sort of townhall.

Next to the Church in a well kept building of  1400 there is the MusAL, the museum dedicated to the rural and religious life of Pope Albino Luciani.

Few steps from the MusAL there is also the Pope’s birth house, a humble house  which is still as it was when Albino lived there, with many of his personal items, his clothes, his bedroom, the kitchen, the living room…People can visit it using the same ticket of the MusAL.

For people who love walking we suggest you the Cavallera path, an easy flat walking which from the centre of Canale d’Agordo leads to Falcade immersed in the wood. On the way there is also a  Via Crucis, made with Dolomia stones by  Franco Murer, Augusto’s son, a local artist.

This town is also the entrance to the wild Valle di Gares: a spectacular 7 km long glacial valley. This valley is the ideal starting point for many excursions on foot or by MTB and in winter it’s famous for its very technical cross country skiing track dedicated to Franco Manfroi a local cross country skier who in 60s was an Olimpic athlete.