The Legend of Monguelfo: Love, Escape and an Angel in Dobbiaco

In the heart of the Dolomites, among silent forests and ancient castles, lies a love story that defied the boundaries of power and left an indelible mark on South Tyrolean tradition.

The year was 1304, at the court of Castel Bruck in Lienz. Upon the death of Count Albert II of Gorizia, his sons decided the fate of their sister Emerenziana: she was to be sent to a convent in Italy. The journey to the monastery was long and arduous, so the noblewoman was entrusted to the knight Baldassare of Monguelfo, a devout and courageous man.

But along those winding mountain paths, something changed. The knight was captivated by Emerenziana’s sweetness and beauty. He fell deeply in love with her and married her, breaking the rules imposed by his own family. The two fled to Dobbiaco, where they found refuge.

The Gorizians, enraged by the affront, marched on Dobbiaco seeking revenge. Yet when all seemed lost, it was the provost of San Candido who intervened and managed to restore peace. The conflict faded away, and instead of war there was a wedding feast.

According to legend, upon hearing the news of the truce, Baldassare exclaimed: “Engel, oes is die G'fahr vorbei!” (“My angel, the danger is over!”).

Out of gratitude, Emerenziana had the Church of “Maria am Rain” built in Monguelfo. Until 1832, the ceiling of the church displayed the coats of arms of the Gorizia and Monguelfo families, intertwined as a symbol of love that triumphed over all. The house in Dobbiaco that had sheltered them was elevated to a noble residence, bearing a unique coat of arms: an angel, the silent witness of that romantic escape.