Dolomites

In the Dolomites rugged peaks and gentle pastures take turns

The Dolomites are a mountain range in the southern Limestone Alps and are world-famous for their beauty and uniqueness. The Dolomites are not only situated on South Tyolean territory, but also includes the provinces Trentino, Belluno, Udine and Pordenone. Steep and bizar rock faces and lush alpine pastures take turns in this area, which makes this mountain range unique.

Due to the pale colour of the rocks, the Dolomites are often also called “monti pallidi”, that is to say “pale mountains”. The name of the Dolomites derives from the French geologist Déodat de Dolomieu, who was the first to analyse the rocks containing the Dolomite mineral.

The Dolomites can be devided into subgroups, for example the Gruppo del Sella, the Gruppo Sassolungo, Puez-Odle, Sciliar, Catinaccio, Latemar, Dolomiti di Braies and Dolomiti di Sesto. Once in the Dolomites there were numerous glaciers. Today, however, only the Marmolada remained.

Unique are these mountains also due to a phenomenon called “enrosadira” in Ladin. When this phenomenon appears at dawn or sunset, the mountain peaks appear in a reddish light, and this is an amazing moment. Not for nothing Le Corbusier described the Dolomites as “the most beautiful piece of architecture in the world”.