The Moena pass

Historic signs 

The Passo San Pellegrino is an open pass and was not difficult to cross even in ancient times.

Following the beginning of the crusades, the pass grew in importance as a faster and safer road between the heart of Germany and Venice, the embarkation point for the Holy Land.

The first hotel in Passo San Pellegrino

In 1358 some Moena locals obtained a legacy to build a hospice, which they did just across from what was then the Aloch pass. The hospice soon became a safe refuge throughout the year for anyone passing through those mountains. The centuries passed without event, except for occasional disputes with the Venetian neighbours over the use of the meadows. Man’s work patiently and tenaciously created a grassy mantle ideal for grazing and a mountain scene of rare beauty and serenity.

The origins of name 

For centuries the hospice was run by pilgrim brothers, hence the pass was known as "Passo San Pellegrino". Initially the hospice was not located where it is today but on the other side of the road (opposite the small church). It was destroyed at the beginning of the First World War and then rebuilt in the current location and style.

At the beginning of the last century, the very first tourists began to appear. But it was only after the War, thanks to the recovery work carried out by the "Sul fronte dei ricordi" association, that the pass was really rediscovered.

Development of turism 

The first ski lift was built in that period, by the then owner of the Monzoni alpine refuge. It was built with wooden supports. From the Sixties onwards, thanks to increased mobility in private vehicles, there was continuous development of tourism and a constant increase in the quality of the services offered, until the area became very popular for its pistes and services.

Today, the Passo San Pellegrino is a top tourist destination, both in summer and winter. The hospice is no longer a lodging place, but nevertheless remains a location for cultural exhibitions.