Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d'Ampezzo ( Italian: [korˈtiːna damˈpɛttso]; local Ladin: Anpezo, elsewhere Ampëz; historical Austrian German: Hayden), often abbreviated to Cortina, is a town and comune (municipality) in the province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the Boite river, in an alpine valley in the heart of the southern Dolomitic Alps, it is an upscale summer and winter sport resort known for its skiing trails, scenery, accommodation, shops and its jet-set-dominated après-ski scene. It is part of the linguistic and cultural region of Ladinia. The town's Latin motto, granted in 1928 on its flag and coat of arms, reads: MODO VIVO AC TUTA QUIESCO (roughly, "I live frugally and rest quietly".)

During the Middle Ages, Cortina d'Ampezzo fell under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Aquileia and the Holy Roman Empire. In 1420 it was conquered by the Republic of Venice. From 1508, it then spent much of its history under Habsburg rule, briefly undergoing some territorial changes under Napoleon, before being returned to the Austrian Empire (later Austria-Hungary), which held it until 1918. From the 19th century, Cortina d'Ampezzo became a regional centre for crafts. The local handmade products were appreciated by early British and German holidaymakers as tourism emerged in the late 19th century. Among the specializations of the town were crafting wood for furniture, the production of tiled stoves, and iron, copper and glass items.