Les Viles

The “viles” are the oldest and most charactersitic form of human settlement in Alta Badia

The so called “Viles” are small housing estates which have been constructed according to certain models and norms. The Viles are not only the most characteristic type of settlement in Alta Badia, but also represent the oldest form of living. Originating from the Rhaetian “tambra”, which were the oldest documented alpine huts, the “Viles” combined two different ways of living: the open and social Roman way of living as well as the rather isolated Rhaetian and Bajuwaric way.

The Viles are supposed to originally be made up of one single family nucleus, which in the course of time enlarged.

The most important characteristic feature of these settlements are the collective use of fountains, drinking trough and ovens. This means that people used to collaborate and the settlement formed kind of a small village. Hence the “Viles” had an important role to play as far as social life is concerned.