Tignes: Church, Art and Village History

Tignes brings together church history, sacred art and the history of communal milk processing. The parish church dedicated to Saint Martin is at the heart of the area’s architectural and artistic history; the dairy and the painter Pieretto Bianco offer further insights into village life.

The Parish Church of Saint Martin

The history of the first church dates back to the early 1500s. In 1662, Tignes was one of the 19 villages or local districts of the Comune d’Alpago at the time. The early history of the church is thus linked to the historical context of the village.

After an earthquake destroyed the previous building, reconstruction began in 1609. The church was separated from the bell tower and given a new orientation. The bell tower is a smaller copy of the bell tower in Pieve. An apse was also added after the 1936 earthquake.

The apse still contains the only altar made of worked and painted stone. The church also houses a 17th-century altarpiece depicting the enthroned Madonna between Saint Martin and Saint Anthony the Great. The painting is unsigned and attributed to the Anonimo Veneto. Another painting depicts the Madonna surrounded by angels. It dates from the 17th or early 18th century; the artist is unknown.

Above the side door is an equestrian statue of Saint Martin dating from 1800. In the niche opposite stands a stone statue of Saint John Nepomuk. The paintings and statues bring different accents to the church’s sacred art.

The Dairy and Pieretto Bianco

The Tignes cooperative dairy was founded in 1884 and was one of the first in the Belluno area. In 1932, the Tignes cooperative dairy had 70 members and about 85 cows; it processed 1,600 quintals of milk.

The painter Pieretto Bianco’s ties to the village also reach back through his family history: his father, Ferdinando Bortoluzzi, came from Tignes. During a short holiday in Tignes, Pieretto Bianco painted frescoes in the salon and other rooms of Celeste D’Alpaos’s new house; later renovations covered the frescoes. He painted a cow on the façade of the village dairy. This fresco was still visible in the late 1970s.

In summer 2025, a plaque was unveiled at Pieretto Bianco’s father’s home in Tignes. The village’s main street is named after him. Pieretto Bianco’s connections with Tignes thus bring together family history, painting and the naming of a central street.

A Map Reference for Cycling Enthusiasts

Tignes is marked on the Anello della Val Belluna loop route. The loop adds a cycling route to the cultural themes as part of the region’s orientation.

Discover more destinations: Castion, Sappada, Caviola, Ponte Nelle Alpi, Castello Lavazzo, Rocca Pietore, Fener, Arabba.

For the broader travel overview: Belluno.