Excess has found its way into a corner of paradise. In Livigno, the Santa Maria Nascente church has towered for centuries over traditional chalets, former farms, restaurants and small shops. Its architectural harmony preserves the authenticity of this large village, which is perched on the border of Italy and Switzerland and nicknamed “Little Tibet” for its harsh winters at 1,800 meters above sea level.
With the Milan Cortina Olympic Games – running from February 6 to 22 – that harmony has been disrupted. A steel structure 55 meters high and 180 meters long, where athletes will defy gravity, has been erected at the entrance to the village for the duration of the competitions. This ramp, known as “Big Air,” will host spectacular freestyle skiing and snowboarding events. The structure is not the only novelty at a resort where 26 titles will be awarded, all for sports related to freestyle skiing and snowboarding. And while the ramp is temporary, other changes will leave a much deeper mark.
As excess begets excess, 100,000 cubic meters of snow have just been added to the skiers’ landing area. On January 28, an excavator perched 22 meters up was waiting to resume leveling this pile of white powder, which looked as if it had been shaped by a giant’s hand.
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