In the place wher nowadays lies Santa Caterina Valfurva, in past times existed a swamp in which, from time to time, a cow drowned in it´s way to the pastures: this is the reason why the place was known as “Magliavacca” for centuries, and in memory of those times the main square of the village is called Magliavacca.
La vocación turística de la Valfurva empezó con el descubrimiento en 1698, de la “acqua forta”, un agua con características orgánicas muy particulares y eficaz en la cura de variadas enfermedades.
Tourism in the Valfurva began after the finding, in 1698, of the “acqua forta”, water with specific characteristics, suitable for the healing of several deaseses.
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Thanks to thermalism, in the end of the 19th century the fame of Santa Caterina Valfurva´s thermal baths raised in Europe, in a time in which it´s neighbour Bormio had nothing more than a couple of small hotels.
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By that time a few high mountain refuges were built to accommodate those passionate by mountain climbing, among them the Albergo al Ghiacciaio dei Forni (2.220m), later transformed into barrack and used by alpin troops when the place was transformed into battlefield between Italians and Austrians during World War I. In the Valfurva took place the highest battle ever fought in Europe, in Punta S. Matteo (3.678m).
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Turistic development in Valfurva stop and even after World War II thermalism in Santa Caterina Valfurva lost importance.
A partir de los años 60 del siglo XX, algunas familias de la zona empezaron a vivir en Santa Caterina Valfurva durante todo el año y instalaron los primeros remontes para la practica del esquí.
In the 60´s, some families started to live in Santa Caterina Valfurva year round and the first ski lifts were installed.
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These families transformed their homes into hotels and guest houses and winter tourism started in the Valfurva, known today for it´s ski resort, operating until late spring due to the high altitude of it´s slopes.
Fuentes/Sources:
www.forni2000.com
www.compagnoni.net
www.hotelthurwieser.it