Deep-rooted tradition awakens to new life

Sotciastel symbolizes many years of passion of the Pitscheider family. Their authentic way of life has influenced this place in a very special way: experience with us a piece of Alta Badia's history.

The farm’s name was revealed in a document of the Sonnenburg monastery in Bruneck for the first time in 1296. However, settlers have established their lives on this hill much earlier than that. On the hilltop next to the house, as well as in the cellar of the Sotciastel, an Austrian researcher had discovered cups of clay, knives, and other tools in 1953, which are evidences of settlement during the Bronze Age.
Another evidence for their early settlement is the astonishing discovery of 150 years old coins and relics, belonging to the Roman period, which were found on the meadow above the barn. It is believed that a fortification was built nearby, of which unfortunately nothing remains. The Pitscheider family has lived in this magical place from the very beginning and knows incredible stories from their ancestors, which they are happy to pass on. It was not until 1986 that a real road to the farm was planned, and thus the life of the family was much improved. Until 2020, all family members lived on the old farm without even a heating system. In winter, the temperatures in the house could fall far below the freezing point. A wood stove was only able to heat up the large living room and the kitchen. In the final years, Hildegard's parents still lived in the house and from time to time, a typical Ladin dinner was prepared for guests in the old kitchen.