Historic capital of Primiero, at the foot of the Pale di San Martino, with its Gothic parish church and a past tied to mining.
A short history
Fiera di Primiero sits at 717 metres, where the Primiero basin opens out below the Pale di San Martino. It is the historic capital of the valley, the town where for centuries markets were held, justice was administered and the communities of the whole Primiero gathered.
Its fortune began with the mines. Between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the surrounding mountains yielded silver, copper and iron, and German miners came up these valleys to work them. That wealth gave rise to the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, a Gothic three-nave church rare for a mountain town, with its slender bell tower and carved wooden altars.
When the mining cycle ended, the town went on living from its woods, crafts and trade. Then came tourism, drawn by the Pale di San Martino and the cool air of the basin. Today Fiera remains the service hub of the Primiero, with its narrow streets, old palaces and shops that keep the town alive.
The mining era left the Palazzo delle Miniere, a stern late-Gothic building of the fifteenth century commissioned by Sigismund of Austria. Here sat the Bergrichter, the mining judge who regulated extraction across the valley. Around 1464 the Primiero counted roughly five hundred workings of copper, silver and iron, with thousands of German miners, the Bergknappen, known locally as canopi. Today the palace is a museum and also recalls Luigi Negrelli, born in the Primiero, the engineer who designed the route of the Suez Canal.
Fiera is also tied to the Magnifica Comunità di Primiero, the old valley government whose statutes date to 1273. For centuries the rules of the Primiero, including Siror, gathered here to manage woods, pastures and justice. It is a story of self-government still felt in the identity of the town.
How to fit Fiera di Primiero into a three, five or seven day trip: The Dolomites in 3, 5 or 7 Days: How to Plan Your Trip.
What to see
- The Pale di San Martino plateau, the vast rock desert that towers over the basin, reached by the lifts from nearby San Martino.
- The parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, a fifteenth-century Gothic church in the heart of the town, with its tall bell tower and wooden altars.
- The Cimon della Pala, the rock pyramid nicknamed the Matterhorn of the Dolomites, closing the horizon to the north of the town.
How to get to Fiera di Primiero
From Feltre you climb the SS50 road towards the Rolle Pass along the Cismon gorge up to the Primiero basin, where Fiera is the main town. From the A22 motorway leave at Ora and continue via Cavalese, the Rolle Pass and the descent to San Martino. The nearest station is Feltre, linked to Fiera by valley buses.
When to go
In summer the basin is cool and green, a handy base for reaching the Pale and the Rolle Pass. In winter the town lives off the nearby San Martino di Castrozza ski area. Spring and autumn are quiet seasons, good for walking among the villages without crowds.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Fiera di Primiero?
The heart of the town is the Gothic parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, with its bell tower and wooden altars. From here it is a short trip up to San Martino and the lifts for the Pale di San Martino plateau, with the Cimon della Pala looming over the valley.
Why is Fiera di Primiero the capital of the Primiero?
Because for centuries it was the centre of trade and administration for the valley. The wealth of the silver and copper mines, between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, made it the most important town of the Primiero, as its great Gothic church shows.
How do you get to Fiera di Primiero?
From Feltre you climb the SS50 road through the Cismon gorge to the Primiero basin. Those coming from the A22 motorway leave at Ora and pass through Cavalese and the Rolle Pass. The nearest station is Feltre, linked by valley buses.
When is the best time to visit Fiera di Primiero?
Summer is the best season, with cool air and the trails of the Pale within easy reach. In winter the town is a base for the slopes of San Martino di Castrozza. In spring and autumn the town is quiet and easy to explore without crowds.
What is the Palazzo delle Miniere in Fiera di Primiero?
It is a stern late-Gothic palace of the fifteenth century, commissioned by Sigismund of Austria, that served as the seat of the mining judge, the Bergrichter. Today it houses a museum on the silver and copper mines of the Primiero and recalls Luigi Negrelli, born in the valley, the engineer who designed the route of the Suez Canal.
What is the Magnifica Comunità di Primiero?
It is the ancient valley government of the Primiero, with statutes dating back to 1273. It brought together the rules of the valley, including Siror, to manage woods, pastures and justice. Fiera di Primiero, as the capital, was long its centre.