| Urtijëi | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Chemun de Urtijëi Gemeinde St. Ulrich Comune di Ortisei |
|
| Location of Urtijëi in Italy | |
| Coordinates: 46°34′N 11°40′E / 46.567°N 11.667°ECoordinates: 46°34′N 11°40′E / 46.567°N 11.667°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol |
| Province / Metropolitan city | South Tyrol (BZ) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Tobia Moroder |
| Area | |
| • Total | 24.3 km2 (9.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,230 m (4,040 ft) |
| Population (31 January 2015) | |
| • Total | 4,753 |
| • Density | 200/km2 (510/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Italian: gardenesi German: Sankt Ulricher |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 39046 |
| Dialing code | 0471 |
| Patron saint | San Udalricus |
| Saint day | July 4 |
| Website | Official website |
Urtijëi (
[uʀtiˈʒɜi̯] ; German: St. Ulrich in Gröden [saŋkt ˈulrɪç in ˈɡrøːdn̩]; Italian: Ortisei [ortiˈzɛi]) is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol in northern Italy. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps.
Urtijëi borders the following municipalities: Kastelruth, Villnöß, Lajen and Santa Cristina Gherdëina.
The Ladin-language name Urtijëi derives from the Latin word urtica and the suffix -etum with the meaning "place of nettles".
From 1860 to 1914 Urtijëi experienced a relevant economical growth due to the opening of a major road connecting Val Gardena to the main railroad; as a result the local woodcarving industry flourished. International tourism developed through the discovery of the Dolomites first by English tourists, and subsequently visitors from other parts of Austria-Hungary as well as the German Empire. Currently, the town's economy is mostly based on winter skiing tourism, summer hiking tourism, and woodcarving.