Rivamonte Agordino: Mining History and the Dolomite Landscape

Between Mining History and the Dolomite Landscape

Rivamonte Agordino is a destination for travelers who want to combine landscapes with local history. Within the municipal area, different facets come together, including the Centro Minerario di Valle Imperina, wooded valley slopes and trails through the area. Almost 60 percent of the municipal area lies within Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi. For your travel planning, this creates a place where natural surroundings, cultural heritage and regional traditions are closely intertwined.

Valle Imperina and the Centro Minerario

The Centro Minerario di Valle Imperina is located in the municipality of Rivamonte Agordino and within the boundaries of Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi. The first evidence of its existence dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. At the mining center, Valle Imperina extends for about 1 kilometer along its lower valley section at an elevation of 543 meters. There, it joins Val Cordevole at a right angle; steep, wooded slopes characterize this valley area.

Hiking Trails with Historical Connections

The Centro Minerario di Valle Imperina can be reached via State Road No. 203 Agordina. Parking is available at Le Campe, after which a footbridge leads across the Torrente Cordevole. The themed trail “La via degli Ospizi” runs through the I Castei area. “The Forgotten Mountain” is an easy circular route with a walking time of just under two and a half hours, without any particular difficulties and with nature park signage. The trail runs from the Centro Minerario to the hamlet of Zenich in the municipality of Rivamonte Agordino. The longest variant reaches Forcella Franche and follows an old route once used by miners from hamlets in the municipalities of Gosaldo and Rivamonte Agordino to reach their workplaces.

Museum, Buildings and Traditional Customs

The Museo Etnografico dei Seggiolai “I Careghete” is located in the former elementary school complex on Via Tos. It displays chairmakers’ tools, raw and finished materials, the traditional clothing of the careghete, as well as information about emigration from the Agordino area and the secret language of the chairmakers. Fortino dei Castei is one of two surviving structures in the area connected with wartime events of the past. Forcella Franche is also home to a historic lime kiln that was recently completely restored.

The cycle of the year is also part of the local character. The traditional carnival masquerade “Òlt da Riva e compagnia bela” takes place on the second or third Sunday in February, depending on the date of Carnival. According to tradition, during the San Giovanni custom, girls wishing to marry placed their apron over the garden salad on the night of June 23–24 to collect dew.

Planning Information

The Area Picnic di Rivamonte is located near the church of Rivamonte and the municipal sports facilities. This equipped short-break area has covered picnic tables, a covered fire pit and a small children’s play area. Directly behind the church, a viewpoint offers a 360-degree panorama of the Conca Agordina.

For longer routes, Bivacco Le Mandre is equipped with electricity from external solar panels, a wood-burning stove, basic furnishings and four to five sleeping places upstairs. There are no water sources at the bivouac or along the approach route; water must be brought for any possible stay. The 9th edition of Riva-Ron in 2026 was a non-competitive mountain run open to everyone and held at the same time as the Sagra de Sant’Antoni, the patron saint’s festival of Rivamonte Agordino. The route covered about 8 kilometers around Rivamonte Agordino; an additional route of about 1.5 kilometers was provided for the Under 16 category.

More Destinations for Your Trip to Italy

If you would like to compare Rivamonte Agordino with other places, you can also extend your travel planning to Santo Stefano Di Cadore, Calalzo Di Cadore, Villapiana-ronchena, Comelico Superiore, Ponte Nelle Alpi, Castello Lavazzo, Mareson-Pecol and Perarolo di Cadore.

To the higher-level travel overview: Belluno.