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The Dolomites (; ; ) are a section of the Alps
Alps

The Alps is the name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west....
. They are located for the most part in the province of Belluno
Province of Belluno

The Province of Belluno is a Provinces of Italy in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km?, and a total population of 209,550 ....
, the rest in the provinces of Bolzano-Bozen and Trento
Province of Trento

The Province of Trento , often referred simply as Trentino, is an Autonomous area Provinces of Italy of Italy. In the local languages, typically the word Trentin is used....
 (all in north-eastern Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
). Conventionally they extend from the Adige
Adige

The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine region of Trentino-Alto Adige/S?dtirol near the Italy border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, 220 located in the province of Bolzano, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the Po River with ....
 river
River

A river is a natural stream of water, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, or another stream. In some cases a river flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water....
 in the west to the Piave valley (Pieve di Cadore
Pieve di Cadore

Pieve di Cadore is a comune in the province of Belluno in the Italy region Veneto, located about 110 km north of Venice and about 35 km northeast of Belluno....
) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley
Pustertal

The Puster Valley is a valley in the Alps that runs in an east-west direction between Lienz in Tyrol , Austria and M?hlbach, Italy near Brixen in the province of Bolzano-Bozen, Italy....
 (Val Pusteria) and the Sugana Valley (Val Sugana). But the Dolomites spread also over the Piave river (Dolomiti d'Oltrepiave) to the east; and far away over the Adige river to the west is the Brenta Group (Western Dolomites); there is also another smaller group called Piccole Dolomiti (Small Dolomites) located between the Provinces of Trento and Vicenza (see the map).

One national park
National park

A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution....
 and many other regional parks are located in the Dolomites.

ng the First World War
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 the line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces ran through the Dolomites.






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Encyclopedia


The Dolomites (; ; ) are a section of the Alps
Alps

The Alps is the name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west....
. They are located for the most part in the province of Belluno
Province of Belluno

The Province of Belluno is a Provinces of Italy in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km?, and a total population of 209,550 ....
, the rest in the provinces of Bolzano-Bozen and Trento
Province of Trento

The Province of Trento , often referred simply as Trentino, is an Autonomous area Provinces of Italy of Italy. In the local languages, typically the word Trentin is used....
 (all in north-eastern Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
). Conventionally they extend from the Adige
Adige

The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine region of Trentino-Alto Adige/S?dtirol near the Italy border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, 220 located in the province of Bolzano, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the Po River with ....
 river
River

A river is a natural stream of water, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, or another stream. In some cases a river flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water....
 in the west to the Piave valley (Pieve di Cadore
Pieve di Cadore

Pieve di Cadore is a comune in the province of Belluno in the Italy region Veneto, located about 110 km north of Venice and about 35 km northeast of Belluno....
) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley
Pustertal

The Puster Valley is a valley in the Alps that runs in an east-west direction between Lienz in Tyrol , Austria and M?hlbach, Italy near Brixen in the province of Bolzano-Bozen, Italy....
 (Val Pusteria) and the Sugana Valley (Val Sugana). But the Dolomites spread also over the Piave river (Dolomiti d'Oltrepiave) to the east; and far away over the Adige river to the west is the Brenta Group (Western Dolomites); there is also another smaller group called Piccole Dolomiti (Small Dolomites) located between the Provinces of Trento and Vicenza (see the map).

One national park
National park

A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution....
 and many other regional parks are located in the Dolomites.

History

During the First World War
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 the line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces ran through the Dolomites. There are open air war museums at Cinque Torri (Five Towers) and Mount Lagazuoi. Many people visit the Dolomites to climb the Vie ferrate
Via ferrata

A via ferrata 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....
. These are protected paths which were first created in the Dolomites 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 1
Alta Via 1

Alta 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....
.

Geomorphology

The region is commonly divided into the Western (Dolomiti di Brenta) and Eastern Dolomites, separated by a line following the Valle dell'Adige
Adige

The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine region of Trentino-Alto Adige/S?dtirol near the Italy border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, 220 located in the province of Bolzano, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the Po River with ....
. The range includes more than forty glacier
Glacier

A glacier is a large, slow-moving mass of ice, formed from compacted layers of snow, that slowly deforms and flows in response to gravity and high pressure....
s.

Origin of the name

The name "Dolomites" is derived from the famous French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu
Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu

Dieudonn? Sylvain Guy Tancr?de de Dolomieu usually known as D?odat de Dolomieu was a French geologist; the rock dolomite was named after him....
 who was the first to describe the rock, dolomite
Dolomite

Dolomite is the name of a sedimentary carbonate rock and a mineral, both composed of calcium magnesium carbonate calciummagnesium2 found in crystals....
, a type of carbonate rock
Carbonate rock

Carbonate rocks are a class of sedimentary rocks composed primarily of carbonate minerals. The two major types are limestone and dolomite, composed of calcite and the mineral dolomite respectively....
 which is responsible for the characteristic shapes and colour of these mountain
Mountain

A mountain is a landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill....
s.

Tourism

A tourist mecca, the Dolomites are famous for skiing
Skiing

Snow skiing is a group of sports using skis as primary equipment. Skis are used in conjunction with ski boots that connect to the ski with use of a ski bindings....
 in the winter months and mountain climbing, daily excursions, climbing and Base Jumping
BASE jumping

BASE jumping is an activity that employs a parachute or the sequenced use of a wingsuit and parachute to jump from fixed objects--with the parachute unopened at the jump ....
, as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn. Free climbing
Free climbing

Free climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend. No artificial aids are employed to make upwards progress; ropes and protection are used only as insurance against falls and their consequences....
 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 Pietore
Rocca Pietore

Rocca Pietore is a comune in the Province of Belluno in the Italy region Veneto, located about 160 km north of Venice and about 40 km northwest of Belluno....
 alongside the Marmolada
Marmolada

Marmolada is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites .The mountain is located about 70 miles north-northeast of Venice, from which it can be seen on a clear day....
 glacier, which lies on the border of the Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto regions, the small towns of Alleghe
Alleghe

"Alleghe" is a village and commune 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....
, Falcade
Falcade

Falcade is a comune in the Province of Belluno in the Italy region Veneto, located about 110 km northwest of Venice and about 35 km northwest of Belluno....
, Auronzo, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and municipality in Alps and the province of Belluno, Veneto, 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 apr?s-ski scene....
, and the villages of Arabba, Ortisei and San Martino di Castrozza, as well as the whole of the Fassa, Gardena and Badia Valleys.

In the first week in July, the Maratona dles Dolomites
Maratona dles Dolomites

File:Maratona dles Dolomites - Campolongo Pass.jpgFile:Maratona dles Dolomites - Dolomites.jpgFile:Maratona dles Dolomites - Finish.jpgThe Maratona dles Dolomites , also simply known as La Maratona, is an annual single-day road bicycle racing race covering seven mountain passes in the Dolomites....
, an annual single-day road bicycle racing race covering seven mountain passes of the Dolomites, is staged.

Major Peaks






















































































































































































NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Marmolada
Marmolada

Marmolada is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites .The mountain is located about 70 miles north-northeast of Venice, from which it can be seen on a clear day....
3344 10,972 Pale di San Martino2996 9831
Antelao
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....
3264 10,706 Rosengartenspitze / Catinaccio2981 9781
Tofana di Mezzo3241 10,633 Marmarole2961 9715
Punta Sorapis3229 10,594 Cima di Fradusta2941 9649
Monte Civetta
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....
3220 10,564 Monte Agner2872 9416
Vernel3145 10,319 Fermedaturm2867 9407
Monte Cristallo3199 10,496 Cima d'Asta2848 9344
Cima di Vezzana3192 10,470 Cima di Canali2846 9338
Cimon della Pala
Cimon della Pala

The Cimon 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 Grande2839 9315
Langkofel / Sassolungo3181 10,427 Vajoletturm / Torri del Vajolet (highest)2821 9256
Pelmo3169 10,397 Sass Maor2816 9239
Dreischusterspitze3162 10,375 Cima di Ball2783 9131
Boespitze / Piz Boè (Sella group
Sella group

File:Sella Group.jpgFile:Sella Val Gardena01.jpgFile:Maratona dles Dolomites - Dolomites.jpgThe Sella is a plateeau shaped massif in the Dolomites mountains....
)		3152 10,342 Cima della Madonna (Sass Maor)2751 9026
Croda Rossa (Hohe Gaisl)3148 10,329 Rosetta2741 8993
Piz Popena3143 10,312 Croda da Lago2716 8911
Elferkofel3115 10,220 Central Grasleitenspitze2705 8875
Grohmannspitze (Langkofel)3111 10,207 Schlern
Schlern

The Schlern is a mountain of the Dolomites in Trentino-Alto Adige/S?dtirol, Italy.The peak at the north west end of the mountain was first ascended in 1888 by Johann Santner....
2562 8406
Zwölferkofel3091 10,142 Sasso di Mur2554 8380
Sass Rigais
Sass Rigais

Sass Rigais is a mountain in the Alps lying in nortwesten 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....
 (Geislerspitzen)		3027 9932 Cima delle Dodici2338 7671
Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The Drei Zinnen , also called the Tre Cime di Lavaredo , are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy....
3003 9853 Monte Pavione2336 7664
Kesselkogel (Rosengarten)3001 9846 Cima di Posta2235 7333
Fünffingerspitze2997 9833 Monte Pasubio2232 7323


Major passes

Passo Pordoi
Name metres feet
Ombretta Pass (Campitello to Caprile), foot path 2738 8983
Langkofeljoch (Gröden Valley to Campitello), foot path 2683 8803
Tschagerjoch (Karersee to the Vajolet Glen), foot path 2644 8675
Grasleiten Pass (Vajolet Glen to the Grasleiten Glen), foot path 2597 8521
Pravitale Pass (Rosetta Plateau to the Pravitale Glen), foot path 2580 8465
Comelle Pass (same to Cencenighe), foot path 2579 8462
Rosetta Pass (San Martino di Castrozza to the great limestone Rosetta plateau), foot path 2573 8442
Vajolet Pass (Tiers to the Vajolet Glen), foot path 2549 8363
Canali Pass (Primiero to Agordo), foot path 2497 8193
Tierseralpljoch (Campitello to Tiers), foot path 2455 8055
Ball Pass (San Martino di Castrozza to the Pravitale Glen), foot path 2450 8038
Forcella di Giralba (Sexten to Auronzo), foot path 2436 7992
Col dei Bos (Falzarego Glen to the Travernanzes Glen), foot path 2313 7589
Forcella Grande (San Vito to Auronzo), foot path 2262 7422
Pordoi Pass (Arabba to Val di Fassa), road 2250 7382
Sella Pass (Gröden Valley to Val di Fassa), road 2244 7362
Giau Pass (Cortina
Cortina

Cortina may refer to:* Cortina d'Ampezzo, a town in northern Italy* Cortina sulla strada del vino, a town in northern Italy* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982...
 to Val Fiorentina), road 		2236 7336
Tre Sassi Pass (Cortina
Cortina

Cortina may refer to:* Cortina d'Ampezzo, a town in northern Italy* Cortina sulla strada del vino, a town in northern Italy* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982...
 to St Cassian), foot path 		2199 7215
Valparola Pass (Cortina
Cortina

Cortina may refer to:* Cortina d'Ampezzo, a town in northern Italy* Cortina sulla strada del vino, a town in northern Italy* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982...
 to St Cassian), road 		2168 7113
Mahlknechtjoch (Upper Duron Glen to the Seiser Alp), foot path 2168 7113
Gardena Pass (Gröden Valley to Colfuschg), road 2121 6959
Falzarego Pass (Caprile to Cortina
Cortina

Cortina may refer to:* Cortina d'Ampezzo, a town in northern Italy* Cortina sulla strada del vino, a town in northern Italy* Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982...
), road 		2117 6946
Fedaja Pass (Val di Fassa to Caprile), bridle path 2046 6713
Valles Pass (Paneveggio to Falcade), road 2032 6667
Würzjoch (Eisacktal
Eisacktal

Eisack Valley is a district in the province of Bolzano, 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 		2003 6572
Rolle Pass (Predazzo to San Martino di Castrozza and Primiero), road 1984 6509
Forcella Forada (Caprile to San Vito), bridle path 1975 6480
San Pellegrino Pass (Moena to Cencenighe), road 1910 6267
Campolongo Pass (Corvara
Corvara

Corvara is a comune in the province of Province of Bolzano-Bozen in the Italy region Trentino-Alto Adige/S?dtirol, located about 80 km northeast of Trento and about 40 km east of Bolzano....
 to Arabba), road 		1875 6152
Forcella d'Alleghe (Alleghe to the Zoldo Glen), foot path 1820 5971
Tre Croci Pass (Cortina to Auronzo), road 1808 5932
Costalunga Pass or Karerpass (Nova Levante to Vigo di Fassa), road 1753 5751
Monte Croce Pass (Innichen and Sexten to the Piave Valley and Belluno), road 1638 5374
Ampezzo Pass (Toblach to Cortina and Belluno), path 1544 5066
Cereda Pass (Primiero to Agordo), road 1372 4501
Toblach Pass (Bruneck to Lienz), railway 1209 3967


Major parks

  • Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi
  • Parco naturale regionale delle Dolomiti d'Ampezzo
  • Parco naturale Fanes-Sennes-Braies
    		•  
  • Parco naturale Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino
  • Parco naturale dello Sciliar
  • Parco naturale Dolomiti di Sesto
    		•  
  • Parco naturale Puez Odle
  • Parco naturale provinciale dell' Adamello-Brenta


    • See also


    • Via Ferrata
      Via ferrata

      A via ferrata 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....
    • Alta Via 1
      Alta Via 1

      Alta 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....
    • Belluno
      Belluno

      Belluno is a town in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Located about 80 kilometers north of Venice, Belluno is the Capital of the province of Belluno and the most important city in the Dolomiti's region....


    External links

    • - The Consorzio Dolomiti assembles resources, Tourist Bodies and Associations in order to promote the tourist offer of the mountain areas in the Belluno province.
    • (Italian)


    Marmolada Westgrat Wiki Mg K