There is a summer night when Cortina doesn’t just light up: it ignites.
It’s the night of August 14th, the eve of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As darkness falls, in the meadows and hamlets of the Ampezzo basin, the ancient Madonna’s Fires shine once again: large bonfires that, generation after generation, gather the community around the fire.
The wood burns. The sky darkens. The mountains change face. And for a moment everything seems suspended: one sits on the grass, watches the fire, listens to the silence. A simple yet powerful tradition, capable of transforming an August night into a collective rite.
Then the gaze rises towards the Tofane.
On the mountain, a gigantic “M” of fire appears, traced in the night to pay homage to Mary. A light that watches over the valley from the mountain and becomes the most spectacular symbol of a deeply Ampezzo tradition.
A night to be experienced outdoors, among fire, sky, and the Dolomites. An event that belongs to the memory of Cortina and continues to speak to the present.
When the mountain is dressed in fire, the tradition comes to life.
In respect of safety and environmental protection regulations, to preserve this tradition over time.
