Treze Tilias

Andreas Thaler, a former Austrian minister of agriculture, led a group of Tyrolean settlers here in 1933 to found a colony they named for the thirteen lime trees planted at the site. The connection to Tyrol stayed active through the twentieth century, with carvers and craftsmen coming over to train locals, and the result is that woodcarving here is a working trade rather than a souvenir line - studios produce religious figures, furniture and architectural work, and several are open to visitors. The buildings follow Tyrolean patterns with painted facades, carved balconies and steep roofs, some genuine and some later. German is still spoken. The Tirolerfest in October is the main event, and dairy and cheese are the surrounding agriculture.

What you actually see

• Working woodcarving studios - a trained trade, not a souvenir industry.
• Tyrolean building - painted facades, carved balconies and steep roofs.
• A 1933 Austrian foundation - the colony named for thirteen lime trees.
• The October Tirolerfest - the town's main annual festival.

When to go

All year; October for the Tirolerfest. A day.

Honest expectations

The town is remote in western Santa Catarina and needs a car and a long drive. It is small - a few hours covers it. Studios keep their own hours. Some of the Alpine styling is recent and applied to ordinary buildings.

Nearby

Joacaba is east; Videira and the wine country are north.