The Upper Venosta Valley boasts a rich cultural heritage, from the ancient Roman Via Claudia Augusta to the Romanesque churches and chapels, from the Baroque era to the present. The "Stairways to Heaven – Middle Ages in the Heart of the Alps" Project, recounts the historical cultural life of local art and architecture from the early Middle Ages onwards.

The most famous post-war artists in the Upper Venosta Valley were Karl Plattner and the draughtsman and illustrator, Paul Flora. Even today, the Upper Venosta Valley remains a vibrant cultural center. Painters and musicians, sculptors and architects, poets and authors, were always at the cutting edge and were showcased at numerous local events. During the past 30 years, there has also been an active contemporary architecture scene in the Upper Venosta Valley with exciting innovations by luminaries such as Walter Dietl, Werner Tscholl and Arnold Gapp.