Museum Ladin - Ursus ladinicus

In the branch of the Museum Ladin in San Cassiano you can see the famous bear skeletons of the Conturines caves

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video : Museum Ursus Ladinicus
The branch of the Museum Ladin Ćiastel de Tor (San Martino in Badia in the Val Badia valley) is located in San Cassiano in the Alta Badia.
Foto: AT, © Peer
In 2011, the new Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus was inaugurated. Before - since 1990 - it was housed in one of the oldest buildings of the village.
Foto: EMS, © Peer
On three floors the museum offers information about the cave bear and the Dolomites as well as a unique fossil collection.
Foto: EMS, © Peer

In 1987, Willy Costamoling from Corvara discovered by chance some bear skeletons in the Conturines caves at approx. 2,800 m a.s.l. First the remains were assigned to the species Ursus spelaeus, a cave bear that lived during the Pleistocene. After some years, however, studies showed that a new species of cave bear has been discovered - this "Dolomite Bear" lived in the interglacial period and has been named Ursus ladinicus.

In 2011, the new Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus was inaugurated, a branch of the Museum Ladin Ćiastel de Tor. On three floors you can see a unique collection of fossils which were found in San Cassiano and its surroundings, the remainings of the cave bear and details about its life 40,000 years ago. Also a bear cave and a stuffed brown bear are on display.