Ladin Museum - Tor Castle.
In 1996, the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol acquired
the Tor Castle for the purpose of establishing a provincial
museum dedicated to the culture and history of the
Ladin ethnic group. Its official name is 'Museum Ladin
Ciastel de Tor' ('Ladin Museum - Tor Castle'). The
fortress, whose history dates back to the 12th cen.,
was once an ancient seat of the court of law. The
castle itself thus provides an essential contribution
to the history of the Dolomite Ladins who are the
descendants of the Romanized original inhabitants
of the land and thus the most ancient of the three
linguistic groups in South Tyrol. The language, culture,
and history of the Ladin people are portrayed through
multimedia displays. Topics that are examined include
archeology (settlement history, the Sotciastel area,
and 'From the Rhaetians to the Ladins'), history (princes,
knights, and subjects), the Ladin language and identity
(language laboratory and handicrafts), the economy
(settlement forms of the Viles, the Iron Road), and
the observation tower (Ladinoscope).