Val Gardena is one of five valleys with a majority of Ladin speakers. The form of the Ladin language spoken in this valley is called Gardenese in Italian, Grödnerisch in German and Gherdëina in Ladin.
Woodcarving
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, four seasons, watchstands were very popular. In the 19th and 20th century, carving of wooden toys was such a widespread occupation in all Gardenese families that Amelia Edwards called Ortisei 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 novelDonkey John of the toy valley. The Parish Church of Ortisei displays a rich collection of statues carved by local artists in the last two centuries. The Museo della Val Gardena in Ortisei owns a rich collection of historical wooden toys, and woodcarved statues and figurines.
Sports
Skiing
The valley hosted the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1970. Val Gardena is home to the Saslong Classic, a men's World Cupdownhill race that has been held almost every year since 1969. Since 2002, the downhill has been paired with a Super-G race, and from 1979 to 1982 a combined event was held. The Saslong course is considered one of the five "classic" men's downhill races, along with Garmisch-Partenkirchen's Kandahar, Kitzbühel's Hahnenkamm, Wengen's Lauberhorn, and Val-d'Isère's Criterium. It is well known for the "Camel Humps", a series of three small jumps which racers must negotiate in quick succession. Two men have won the Saslong title four times in a career: Austrian Franz Klammer and Italy's Kristian Ghedina. If Super-G wins are also included, two other men have matched that feat: Peter Müller of Switzerland and Austrian Michael Walchhofer. A women's slalom and parallel slalom were also held in 1975. Val Gardena is part of the Sella Rondaalpine ski touring circuit.
