The country that tells its story: Cibiana di Cadore

Cibiana di Cadore, the village reborn with street art

CIBIANA DI CADORE. A nearly hidden place. A small village of 450 inhabitants at one thousand meters above sea level along the road from Venas to Zoldano. Nestled among high peaks and off the usual tourist circuits, there is an almost magical place that now presents itself to visitors with the walls of its houses painted by street art.

Cibiana di Cadore was once famous for its thriving iron industry, especially for the production of keys. However, the small village, made up of ancient houses, some of which date back to the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, with its cobblestone streets winding up the slopes, has been at risk of depopulation over the years.

The strong call of other places was too much for its inhabitants seeking a better life.
To counteract this phenomenon, in 1980, the Pro Loco and local artist Vico Calabrò, in collaboration with the municipal administration, decided to revive the village through street art. Today Cibiana and its hamlets represent a gem hiding numerous treasures.

One of the main reasons that now attracts tourists are the Murales, which identify the town as the “Country of Murals” or “Country that tells its history”.

These paintings, created by influential artists not only from Italy but also from Japan, Mexico, and the former USSR, are scattered on the walls of the houses and tell their story.

The walls of the village speak to visitors about arts, crafts, festivals, legends, and the life of the past; they have the role of recreating a collective memory and embellishing the journey, making it a fairy-tale place.

Emerging and famous artists from all over the world have been called to decorate the tabià, the typical wooden constructions, the walls, and the shops of the village with the mission of recovering its history, traditions, crafts, but also the ancient mountain legends.

Since 1980, an open-air museum has been created; around fifty frescoes bring to life a unique artistic journey that enchants visitors, as they walk in a circular route through Pianezze, Cibiana di Sotto, and Masariè.

Pianezze is the upper fraction where the murals tell the story of the activities that took place in the buildings.