La Sia - The Venetian sawmill

"La Sia", the last Venetian hydraulic piston sawmill in Val di Fassa, is located in Penìa di Canazei.

Why Venetian? Because, in the valley as in many other areas of Trentino, they were introduced by the Serenissima Republic of Venice which, highly interested in wood-trading, promoted new techniques that allowed an advanced and quick processing of the raw material. Taking advantage of water’s motor power, a single sawyer could saw up to 30 boards a day. In the sawmill, trunks of spruce, larches, and pines were processed and turned into planks and beams for the construction industry.

Documented since the 16th century, it nowadays appears as it was created in 1922 by master carpenter Dellagiacoma "Giochelon" from Predazzo. A restoration between 1985 and 1988, commissioned by “Istituto Cultural Ladin” and conducted by master Giuseppe Longo from Tesero, has put it back into operation, insomuch that it can still be used for the needs of the hamlet’s inhabitants. The sawmill is property of "Associazione Beni ed Usi Civici (ASBUC)" of Penìa, heir of the ancient "Regola" (community institution).

Please note: closed for restoration work for summer 2025!