Dolomites

Dolomites
Italian: Dolomiti
Ladin: Dolomites
German: Dolomiten
Tofana massif with Cortina d'Ampezzo in the foreground
Highest point
PeakMarmolada
Elevation3,343 m (10,968 ft)
Coordinates46°26′N 11°51′E / 46.433°N 11.850°E / 46.433; 11.850
Dimensions
Area15,942 km2 (6,155 sq mi)
Geography
Dolomites is located in Alps
Dolomites
Dolomites
Location of the Dolomites in the Alps
CountryItaly Italy
Regions
Parent rangeAlps
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny
Rock ageMostly Triassic
Rock types
  • Sedimentary rocks
  • dolomite
  • volcanic rocks
The Dolomites
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Three Peaks of Lavaredo
CriteriaNatural: (vii)(viii)
Reference1237
Inscription2009 (33rd Session)
Area141,902.8 ha
Buffer zone89,266.7 ha

The Dolomites (Italian: Dolomiti [doloˈmiːti]),[1] also known as the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, are a mountain range in northeastern Italy. They form part of the Southern Limestone Alps and extend from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley (Pieve di Cadore) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley (Italian: Valsugana). The Dolomites are in the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli-Venezia Giulia,[2] covering an area shared between the provinces of Belluno, Vicenza, Verona, Trentino, South Tyrol, Udine and Pordenone.

Other mountain groups of similar geological structure are spread along the River Piave to the east—Dolomiti d'Oltrepiave; and far away over the Adige River to the west—Dolomiti di Brenta (Western Dolomites). A smaller group is called Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites), between the provinces of Trentino, Verona and Vicenza.

The Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park and many other regional parks are in the Dolomites. On 26 June 2009, the Dolomites were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3][4] The Adamello-Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark is also in the Dolomites.[5] The Geological Museum of the Dolomites (in Italian Museo Geologico delle Dolomiti) is located in Predazzo, Fiemme Valley.

Etymology

The Dolomites, also known as the "Pale Mountains", take their name from the carbonate rock dolomite. This was named after the 18th-century French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu (1750–1801), who was the first to describe the mineral.[6]

History

For millennia, hunters and gatherers had advanced into the highest rocky regions and had probably also climbed some peaks. There is evidence that the Jesuit priest Franz von Wulfen from Klagenfurt climbed the Lungkofel and the Dürrenstein in the 1790s. In 1857 Irishman John Ball was the first known person to climb Monte Pelmo. Paul Grohmann later climbed numerous peaks such as the Antelao, Marmolada, Tofana, Monte Cristallo and the Boè. Around 1860 the Agordin mountaineer Simone de Silvestro was the first person to stand on the Civetta. Michael Innerkofler was one of the climbers of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Later very important local mountaineers, known for many first ascents, were Angelo Dibona and Giovanni Piaz.[7]

During the First World War, the front line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian Army ran through the Dolomites, where both sides used mines extensively. Open-air war museums are at Cinque Torri (Five Towers), Monte Piana and Mount Lagazuoi. Many people visit the Dolomites to climb the vie ferrate, protected paths through the rock walls that were created during the war.

A number of long-distance footpaths traverse the Dolomites. They are called alte vie (German: Dolomiten Höhenwege – high paths), and are numbered 1 to 10. The trails take about a week to walk, and are served by numerous rifugi (huts). The first and the most renowned is the Alta Via 1. Radiocarbon dating has been used in the Alta Badia region to demonstrate a connection between landslide activity and climate change.[8]

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.

Current classification

The Dolomites may be divided into the following ranges:

  • Sella
  • Marmolada
  • Tofane
  • Langkofel Group
  • Brenta Group
  • Geisler Group
  • Peitlerkofel Group
  • Puez Group
  • Fanes Group
  • Schlern Group
  • Rosengarten
  • Latemar
  • Pala
  • Lüsen Mountains
  • Civetta
  • Pelmo
  • Marmarole
  • Cadini Group
  • Cristallo Group
  • Sorapiss
  • Antelao
  • Bosconero
  • Vette Feltrine
  • Schiara
  • Prags Dolomites
  • Sexten Dolomites
  • Friulian Dolomites

Tourism and sports

Skiers in Cortina in 1903

The Dolomites are renowned for skiing in the winter months and mountain climbing, hiking, cycling and BASE jumping, as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn.[9][10] Free climbing has been a tradition in the Dolomites since 1887, when 17-year-old Georg Winkler soloed the first ascent of the pinnacle of the Vajolet Towers.[11] The main centres include: Rocca Pietore alongside the Marmolada Glacier, which lies on the border of Trentino and Veneto, the small towns of Alleghe, Falcade, Auronzo, Cortina d'Ampezzo and the villages of Arabba, Urtijëi and San Martino di Castrozza, as well as the whole of the Fassa, Gardena and Badia valleys.[12]

The Maratona dles Dolomites, an annual single-day road bicycle race covering seven mountain passes of the Dolomites, occurs in the first week of July.

Other characteristic places are:

  • Mount Pasubio and Strada delle 52 Gallerie (a military mule road built during World War I with 52 tunnels)
  • Altopiano di Asiago and Calà del Sasso, with 4,444 steps, the world's longest staircase open to the public.

Major peaks

Punta Penia (3 343 m), the highest point of Marmolada mountain.
NameMetresFeet
Marmolada3,34310,968
Antelao3,26410,706
Tofana di Mezzo3,24110,633
Sorapiss3,22910,594
Cristallo3,22110,568
Monte Civetta3,22010,564
Cima di Vezzana3,19210,470
Cimon della Pala3,18410,453
Langkofel / Sassolungo3,18110,427
Monte Pelmo3,16810,397
Dreischusterspitze3,16210,375
Boespitze / Piz Boè (Sella group)3,15210,342
Hohe Gaisl (Croda Rossa d'Ampezzo)3,14810,329
Gran Vernel3,14510,319
Piz Popena3,14310,312
Grohmannspitze (Langkofel)3,12610,256
Zwölferkofel3,09410,151
Elferkofel3,09210,144
Piz dles Cunturines3,06410,052
Sass Rigais (Geislerspitzen)3,0259,925
Kesselkogel (Rosengarten)3,0049,856
Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Drei Zinnen)2,9999,839
Fünffingerspitze2,9979,833
Pala di San Martino2,9829,831
Rosengartenspitze / Catinaccio2,9819,781
Cima di Fradusta2,9419,715
Cimon del Froppa2,9329,649
Monte Agnèr2,8729,416
Fermedaturm2,8679,407
Cima d'Asta2,8489,344
Cima di Canali2,8469,338
Croda Grande2,8399,315
Vajoletturm / Torri del Vajolet (highest)2,8219,256
Sass Maor2,8169,239
Cima di Ball2,7839,131
Cima della Madonna (Sass Maor)2,7519,026
Cima della Rosetta2,7438,999
Croda da Lago2,7168,911
Central Grasleitenspitze2,7058,875
Schlern2,5628,406
Sasso di Mur2,5548,380
Monte Siera2,4438,015
Cima delle Dodici2,3387,671
Monte Pavione2,3367,664
Cima Palon2,2397,346
Cima di Posta2,2357,333

Major passes

View of Gardena Pass and Sella group from Pizes de Cir
Namemetresfeet
Ombretta Pass (Campitello to Caprile), footpath2,7388,983
Langkofeljoch (Gröden Valley to Campitello), footpath2,6838,803
Tschagerjoch (Karersee to the Vajolet Glen), footpath2,6448,675
Grasleiten Pass (Vajolet Glen to the Grasleiten Glen), footpath2,5978,521
Pravitale Pass (Rosetta Plateau to the Pravitale Glen), footpath2,5808,465
Comelle Pass (same to Cencenighe), footpath2,5798,462
Rosetta Pass (San Martino di Castrozza to the great limestone Rosetta plateau), footpath2,5738,442
Vajolet Pass (Tiers to the Vajolet Glen), footpath2,5498,363
Canali Pass (Primiero to Agordo), footpath2,4978,193
Tierseralpljoch (Campitello to Tiers), footpath2,4558,055
Ball Pass (San Martino di Castrozza to the Pravitale Glen), footpath2,4508,038
Forcella di Giralba (Sexten to Auronzo), footpath2,4367,992
Col dei Bos (Falzarego Glen to the Travernanzes Glen), footpath2,3137,589
Forcella Grande (San Vito to Auronzo), footpath2,2627,422
Pordoi Pass (Arabba to Val di Fassa), road2,2507,382
Sella Pass (Gröden Valley to Val di Fassa), road2,2447,362
Giau Pass (Cortina to Val Fiorentina), road2,2367,336
Tre Sassi Pass (Cortina to St Cassian), footpath2,1997,215
Valparola Pass (Cortina to St Cassian), road2,1687,113
Mahlknechtjoch (Upper Duron Glen to the Seiser Alp), footpath2,1687,113
Gardena Pass (Gröden Valley to Colfuschg), road2,1216,959
Falzarego Pass (Caprile to Cortina), road2,1176,946
Fedaja Pass (Val di Fassa to Caprile), bridle path2,0466,713
Valles Pass (Paneveggio to Falcade), road2,0326,667
Würzjoch (Eisacktal to Val Badia), road2,0036,572
Rolle Pass (Predazzo to San Martino di Castrozza and Primiero), road1,9846,509
Forcella Forada (Caprile to San Vito), bridle path1,9756,480
San Pellegrino Pass (Moena to Cencenighe), road1,9106,267
Campolongo Pass (Corvara to Arabba), road1,8756,152
Forcella d'Alleghe (Alleghe to the Zoldo Glen), footpath1,8205,971
Tre Croci Pass (Cortina to Auronzo), road1,8085,932
Furkel Pass (Mareo to Olang), road1,7595,771
Karerpass or Costalunga Pass (Welschnofen to Vigo di Fassa), road1,7535,751
Kreuzbergpass or Monte Croce Pass (Innichen and Sexten to the Piave Valley and Belluno), road1,6385,374
Ampezzo Pass (Toblach to Cortina and Belluno), path1,5445,066
Cereda Pass (Primiero to Agordo), road1,3724,501
Toblach Pass (Bruneck to Lienz), railway1,2093,967

Major parks

Horses on pasture at Parco Naturale Tre Cime, South Tyrol. Cadini di Misurina in the background

See also

  • Alta Via 1
  • Belluno
  • Brenta group
  • Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park
  • Golden age of alpinism
  • Italian front (World War I)
  • Silver age of alpinism
  • Strada delle 52 Gallerie
  • Via ferrata
  • White Friday (1916)
  • White War

References

  1. ↑ Ladin: Dolomites; German: Dolomiten [doloˈmiːtn̩] ⓘ ("Dolomiten" in Langenscheidt German-English Dictionary); Venetian: Dołomiti [doɰoˈmiti]: Friulian: Dolomitis
  2. ↑ "Dolomiti, le montagne rosa". italia.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  3. ↑ "The Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site". Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage (in English, German, and Italian). Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "The Dolomites". UNESCO (in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Japanese, and Dutch). Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Adamello-Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark". Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  6. ↑ Saussure le fils, M. de (1792): "Analyse de la dolomite". Journal de Physique, vol. 40, pp. 161–173.
  7. ↑ Die Besteigung der Berge - Die Dolomitgipfel werden erobert (German: The ascent of the mountains - the dolomite peaks are conquered)
  8. ↑ Borgatti, Lisa; Soldati, Mauro (2010-08-01). "Landslides as a geomorphological proxy for climate change: A record from the Dolomites (northern Italy)". Geomorphology. Landslide geomorphology in a changing environment. 120 (1–2): 56–64. Bibcode:2010Geomo.120...56B. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.09.015.
  9. ↑ Draper, Robert (2015-08-16). "In Italy, Hiking and Haute Cuisine in the Dolomites - The New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  10. ↑ Williams, Ingrid K. (2018-08-30). "36 Hours in the Dolomites". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  11. ↑ Huber, Alex. "The Perfect Perfume". Rock and Ice Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-02-15.
  12. ↑ Koch, Amy Tara (25 November 2019). "Hut Skiing in the Dolomites: Storybook Scenery and Grappa Included - The New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.

Bibliography

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