The
Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is a part of
Southern Limestone AlpsThe Southern Limestone Alps are the ranges of the Eastern Alps south of the Central Eastern Alps mainly located in northern Italy and the adjacent lands of Austria and Slovenia. The distinction from the Central Alps, where the higher peaks are located, is based on differences in geological...
and extends from the
River AdigeThe Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with ....
in the west to the
Piave ValleyPiave is a river in north Italy. It begins in the Alps and flows southeast for into the Adriatic Sea near the city of Venice....
(
Pieve di CadorePieve di Cadore is a comune in the province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about 110 km north of Venice and about 35 km northeast of Belluno.The painter Titian was born here, c. 1485...
) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the
Puster ValleyThe Puster Valley is a valley in the Alps that runs in an east-west direction between Lienz in Tyrol, Austria and Mühlbach near Brixen in South Tyrol, Italy...
and the Sugana Valley (Val Sugana). The Dolomites are nearly equally shared between the provinces of
BellunoTheThe Province of Belluno is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km², and a total population of 214,026 .-Geography:...
,
South TyrolSouth Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
and Trentino.
There are also mountain groups of similar geological structure that spread over the River Piave to the east –
Dolomiti d'Oltrepiave; and far away over the Adige River to the west –
Dolomiti di BrentaThe Brenta Group is a mountain range of the Rhaetian Alps. It is located in the Italian province of Trentino.The Brenta Group is separated from the Ortler Alps in the north by the Noce valley; from the Adamello-Presanella group in the west by the Campo Carlo Magno Pass and the river Sarca; from...
(Western Dolomites). There is also another smaller group called Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites) located between the provinces of Trentino,
VeronaThe Province of Verona is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Verona.-Overview:The province has an area of 3,109 km², and a total population of 912,981...
and
VicenzaThe Province of Vicenza is a province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Its capital city is Vicenza.The province has an area of 2,723 km², and a total population of 840,000 . There are 121 comuni in the province...
(see the map).
One
national parkA national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
and many other regional parks are located in the Dolomites. In August 2009, the Dolomites were declared a natural heritage site by
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
History
During the
First World WarWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces ran through the Dolomites. There are now open-air war museums at Cinque Torri (Five Towers) and Mount Lagazuoi. Many people visit the Dolomites to climb the
Vie ferrateA via ferrata or klettersteig is a mountain route which is equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The use of these allows otherwise isolated routes to be joined to create longer routes which are accessible to people with a wide range of climbing abilities...
, protected paths created during the First World War. A number of long distance footpaths run across the Dolomites, which are called "Alte vie" (i.e., high paths). Such long trails, which are numbered from 1 to 8, require at least a week to be walked through and are served by numerous "Rifugi" (huts). The first and, perhaps, most renowned is the
Alta Via 1Alta Via 1 is a 150 km long high level public footpath which runs through the eastern Dolomites in Italy. It is also known as the Dolomite High Route 1. It passes through some of the finest scenery in the Dolomites. The path runs south from Pragser Wildsee, near Toblach, to Belluno...
.
Geography
The region is commonly divided into the Western and Eastern Dolomites, separated by a line following the Val Badia – Campolongo Pass – Cordevole Valley (Agordino) axis.
Origin of the name
The name "Dolomites" is derived from the famous
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mineralogistMineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
Déodat Gratet de DolomieuDieudonné Sylvain Guy Tancrède de Dolomieu usually known as Déodat de Dolomieu was a French geologist; the rock dolomite and the largest summital crater on the Piton de la Fournaise volcano were named after him.Déodat de Dolomieu was born in Dauphiné, France, one of 11 children of the Marquis de...
who was the first to describe the rock,
dolomiteDolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
, a type of
carbonate rockCarbonate rocks are a class of sedimentary rocks composed primarily of carbonate minerals. The two major types are limestone, which is composed of calcite or aragonite and dolostone, which is composed of the mineral dolomite .Calcite can be either dissolved by groundwater or precipitated by...
which is responsible for the characteristic shapes and colour of these mountains; previously they were called the "pale mountains," and it was only in the early 19th century that the name was Gallicized.
Tourism
A tourist mecca, the Dolomites are famous for
skiingSkiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
in the winter months and mountain climbing, hiking, climbing and
Base JumpingBASE jumping, also sometimes written as B.A.S.E jumping, is an activity that employs an initially packed parachute to jump from fixed objects...
, as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn.
Free climbingFree climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
has been a tradition in the Dolomites since 1887, when 17-year-old Georg Winkler soloed the first ascent of the pinnacle Die Vajolettürme. The main centres include:
Rocca PietoreRocca Pietore is a comune in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about 160 km north of Venice and about 40 km northwest of Belluno....
alongside the
MarmoladaMarmolada is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites ....
Glacier, which lies on the border of Trentino and Veneto, the small towns of
AllegheAlleghe is a village and comune in the province of Belluno, Veneto, NE Italy.To the west Alleghe borders with Alleghe Lake, which was formed in 1771 by a landslide from the adjacent Mount Piz.-Name:...
,
FalcadeFalcade is a comune in the Province of Belluno in the Italian region Veneto, located about 110 km northwest of Venice and about 35 km northwest of Belluno...
, Auronzo,
Cortina d'AmpezzoCortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
and the villages of Arabba,
UrtijëiUrtijëi is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps...
and
San Martino di CastrozzaSan Martino di Castrozza is a mountain resort in the Primiero valley in the Trentino province in Italy. The western part, with 428 inhabitants, is in the comune of Siror, the eastern, with 135, in Tonadico.- History :...
, as well as the whole of the Fassa, Gardena and Badia valleys.
In the first week in July, the
Maratona dles DolomitesThe Maratona dles Dolomites , is an annual single-day road bicycle race covering seven spectacular mountain passes in the Dolomites. Open to amateurs cyclists, the Maratona—with 9,000 riders from over 40 nations—is one of the biggest Italian Granfondo bicycle races...
, an annual single-day road bicycle racing race covering seven mountain passes of the Dolomites, is staged.
Major peaks
Name | metres | feet | Name | metres | feet |
|---|
Marmolada Marmolada is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites ....
|
3343 |
10,968 |
Pala di San Martino |
2982 |
9831 |
Antelao Monte Antelao is the highest mountain in the eastern Dolomites in northeastern Italy, southeast of the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the region of Cadore. It is known as the "King of the Dolomites"...
|
3264 |
10,706 |
Rosengartenspitze
/ Catinaccio |
2981 |
9781 |
Tofana di Mezzo |
3241 |
10,633 |
Marmarole |
2961 |
9715 |
Punta Sorapis |
3229 |
10,594 |
Cima di Fradusta |
2941 |
9649 |
Monte Civetta Monte Civetta is a mountain in the Dolomites, in the Province of Belluno in northern Italy.The north-western side of the mountain has a steep cliff more than 1,000 m high.-External links:* - Wikivoyage...
|
3220 |
10,564 |
Monte Agner |
2872 |
9416 |
Vernel |
3145 |
10,319 |
Fermedaturm |
2867 |
9407 |
CristalloCristallo is a mountain group in the Italian Dolomites, northeast of Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the province of Belluno, Veneto, northern Italy. It is a long, indented ridge with four summits higher than 3,000 metres.-Peaks:...
|
3221 |
10568 |
Cima d'Asta |
2848 |
9344 |
Cima di Vezzana |
3192 |
10,470 |
Cima di Canali |
2846 |
9338 |
Cimon della PalaCimon della Pala, sometimes called Cimone and The Matterhorn of the Dolomites , is the best-known peak of the Pale di San Martino group, in the Dolomites, northern Italy...
|
3184 |
10,453 |
Croda Grande |
2839 |
9315 |
Langkofel The Langkofel is a mountain in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy....
/ Sassolungo |
3181 |
10,427 |
Vajoletturm / Torri del Vajolet (highest) |
2821 |
9256 |
Pelmo |
3169 |
10,397 |
Sass Maor |
2816 |
9239 |
Dreischusterspitze |
3162 |
10,375 |
Cima di Ball |
2783 |
9131 |
Boespitze / Piz Boè Piz Boè is the main peak of the Sella-Group a mountain-range in the Dolomites, Italy. It has an elevation of .-External links:**...
(Sella groupThe Sella is a plateau shaped massif in the Dolomites mountains of northern Italy. The Sella lies north of the Marmolada and to the east of the Langkofel...
) |
3152 |
10,342 |
Cima della Madonna (Sass Maor) |
2751 |
9026 |
Croda Rossa (Hohe Gaisl) |
3148 |
10,329 |
Rosetta |
2741 |
8993 |
Piz Popena |
3143 |
10,312 |
Croda da Lago |
2716 |
8911 |
Elferkofel - References :*Richard Goedeke: Sextener Dolomiten. Bergverlag Rother, 1988. ISBN 3-7633-1255-2...
|
3115 |
10,220 |
Central Grasleitenspitze |
2705 |
8875 |
Grohmannspitze (Langkofel The Langkofel is a mountain in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy....
) |
3111 |
10,207 |
SchlernThe Schlern is a mountain of the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy.The peak at the north west end of the mountain was first ascended in 1888 by Johann Santner...
|
2562 |
8406 |
Zwölferkofel The Zwölferkofel or Zwölfer is a peak of the Sexten Dolomites on the border between the provinces South Tyrol and Belluno, in Italy....
|
3091 |
10,142 |
Sasso di Mur |
2554 |
8380 |
Sass RigaisSass Rigais is a mountain in the Alps lying in the northwestern Dolomites, in Italy and part of the Geisler group . Sass Rigais offers as one of few Dolomites threethousands entire crossing top from one part to the second. Both footpaths are separate ways. Via ferrata Villnössersteig are...
(Geislerspitzen) |
3027 |
9932 |
Cima delle Dodici |
2338 |
7671 |
Tre Cime di LavaredoThe Tre Cime di Lavaredo are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. They are probably one of the best-known mountain groups in the Alps...
|
3003 |
9853 |
Monte Pavione |
2336 |
7664 |
Kesselkogel The Kesselkogel is the highest mountain in the Rosengarten group in South Tyrol, Italy....
(Rosengarten) |
3001 |
9846 |
Cima di Posta |
2235 |
7333 |
Fünffingerspitze |
2997 |
9833 |
Monte Pasubio |
2232 |
7323 |
Major passes
| Name | metres | feet |
| Ombretta Pass (Campitello to Caprile), foot path |
2,738 |
8,983 |
| Langkofeljoch (Gröden Valley to Campitello), foot path |
2,683 |
8,803 |
| Tschagerjoch (Karersee The Karersee is a lake in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy. It belongs to the municipality of Welschnofen.- References :*...
to the Vajolet Glen), foot path |
2,644 |
8,675 |
| Grasleiten Pass (Vajolet Glen to the Grasleiten Glen), foot path |
2,597 |
8,521 |
| Pravitale Pass (Rosetta Plateau to the Pravitale Glen), foot path |
2,580 |
8,465 |
| Comelle Pass (same to Cencenighe), foot path |
2,579 |
8,462 |
| Rosetta Pass (San Martino di Castrozza San Martino di Castrozza is a mountain resort in the Primiero valley in the Trentino province in Italy. The western part, with 428 inhabitants, is in the comune of Siror, the eastern, with 135, in Tonadico.- History :...
to the great limestone Rosetta plateau), foot path |
2,573 |
8,442 |
| Vajolet Pass (Tiers to the Vajolet Glen), foot path |
2,549 |
8,363 |
| Canali Pass (Primiero to Agordo), foot path |
2,497 |
8,193 |
| Tierseralpljoch (Campitello to Tiers), foot path |
2,455 |
8,055 |
| Ball Pass (San Martino di Castrozza to the Pravitale Glen), foot path |
2,450 |
8,038 |
| Forcella di Giralba (Sexten Sexten is a comune in South Tyrol, in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of north-east Italy. The town is famous as a summer and winter sport resort and the mountains.-Geography:...
to Auronzo), foot path |
2,436 |
7,992 |
| Col dei Bos (Falzarego Glen to the Travernanzes Glen), foot path |
2,313 |
7,589 |
| Forcella Grande (San Vito to Auronzo), foot path |
2,262 |
7,422 |
| Pordoi Pass (Arabba to Val di Fassa), road |
2,250 |
7,382 |
| Sella Pass (Gröden Valley to Val di Fassa), road |
2,244 |
7,362 |
| Giau Pass (Cortina -Things:* Cortina * Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the above...
to Val Fiorentina), road |
2,236 |
7,336 |
| Tre Sassi Pass (Cortina -Things:* Cortina * Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the above...
to St Cassian), foot path |
2,199 |
7,215 |
| Valparola Pass (Cortina -Things:* Cortina * Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the above...
to St Cassian), road |
2,168 |
7,113 |
| Mahlknechtjoch (Upper Duron Glen to the Seiser Alp), foot path |
2,168 |
7,113 |
| Gardena Pass (Gröden Valley to Colfuschg), road |
2,121 |
6,959 |
| Falzarego Pass (Caprile to Cortina -Things:* Cortina * Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982**Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the above...
), road |
2,117 |
6,946 |
| Fedaja Pass (Val di Fassa to Caprile), bridle path |
2,046 |
6,713 |
| Valles Pass (Paneveggio to Falcade), road |
2,032 |
6,667 |
| Würzjoch (Eisacktal Eisack Valley is a district in South Tyrol, Italy. It comprises the middle part of the valley of the Eisack, from Franzensfeste in the north to Waidbruck in the south....
to Val Badia), road |
2,003 |
6,572 |
| Rolle Pass (Predazzo to San Martino di Castrozza and Primiero), road |
1,984 |
6,509 |
| Forcella Forada (Caprile to San Vito), bridle path |
1,975 |
6,480 |
| San Pellegrino Pass (Moena to Cencenighe), road |
1,910 |
6,267 |
| Campolongo Pass (Corvara to Arabba), road |
1,875 |
6,152 |
| Forcella d'Alleghe (Alleghe to the Zoldo Glen), foot path |
1,820 |
5,971 |
| Tre Croci Pass (Cortina to Auronzo), road |
1,808 |
5,932 |
| Furkel Pass (Mareo Mareo is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km northeast of Trento and about 50 km northeast of Bolzano .-Geography:...
to OlangOlang is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 100 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 60 km northeast of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...
), road |
1,759 |
5,771 |
| Karerpass or Costalunga Pass (Welschnofen to Vigo di Fassa Vigo di Fassa is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 60 km northeast of Trento...
), road |
1,753 |
5,751 |
| Kreuzbergpass or Monte Croce Pass (Innichen and Sexten to the Piave Valley and Belluno), road |
1,638 |
5,374 |
Ampezzo Pass (ToblachToblach is a comune/Gemeinde in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located in the Puster Valley about 110 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 70 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria.As of November 30, 2010, it had a...
to Cortina and Belluno), path |
1,544 |
5,066 |
| Cereda Pass (Primiero to Agordo), road |
1,372 |
4,501 |
Toblach Pass (BruneckBruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz...
to LienzLienz is a medieval town in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is the administrative centre of the Lienz district, which covers all of East Tyrol. The municipality also includes the cadastral subdivision of Patriasdorf.-Geography:...
), railway |
1,209 |
3,967 |
Major parks
- Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park 77865 acres (315.1 km²)
|
Parco naturale regionale delle Dolomiti d'Ampezzo 27675 acres (112 km²) |
Naturpark Fanes-Sennes-Prags The Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park is a nature reserve in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy.- References :*- External links :...
25680 ha (257 km²) |
|
|
Parco naturale Paneveggio – Pale di San Martino 48680 acres (197 km²) |
Naturpark Schlern-Rosengarten - References :*- External links :...
6796 ha (68 km²) |
Naturpark Sextener Dolomiten 28750 acres (116.3 km²) |
|
|
Naturpark Puez-Geisler The Puez-Geisler Nature Park is a nature reserve in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy.- References :*- External links :* Photo 360°: position: Seceda, position: Brogles, position: Gschnagenhardt...
10196 ha (102 km²) |
Parco naturale provinciale dell' Adamello-Brenta 153320 acres (620.5 km²) |
External links