There are few places where geography becomes so literally a measuring instrument. Viewed from Moso and the meadows of Sesto in the Upper Pustertal, Ladin farmers named the great peaks facing their homes after the numbers on the clock: Cima Nove, Cima Dieci (universally known as Croda Rossa di Sesto), Cima Undici, Cima Dodici (the celebrated Croda dei Toni, the tallest in the group at 3,094 metres), and Cima Una. When the sun touched the vertical of each summit, villagers knew what time it was. This is no tourist legend: the system served generations, so much so that the Sundial of Sesto is today a recognised natural monument.
The beauty of the phenomenon is that it changes with the seasons and with your vantage point. On winter solstice days from Moso, the sun passes above Cima Dodici at noon and above Cima Una around one o'clock. To enjoy the spectacle you need nothing more than the valley-floor pastures or a short climb toward the Val Fiscalina and the Rifugio Fondovalle: no special equipment, only patient eyes. The finest hours remain those of the autumn sunset, when the air turns clear and the walls light up with enrosadira, giving the sundial the rosy frame that has landed it in thousands of photographs.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called a sundial?
Because the peaks aligned above Sesto bear the names of the hours (Nove, Dieci, Undici, Dodici, and Cima Una) and the sun crosses them one after another: watching from Moso you could tell the time by noting which summit the sun was touching.
Where is the best place to observe the sundial?
The historic spot is Moso, where the alignment is most precise, but it reads well from all the meadows around Sesto and on the way up toward the Val Fiscalina. Clear days and the light of sunset, especially in autumn, are the ideal conditions.