Italy is a geographically diverse country with many interesting natural features. One such feature is the Dolomites. Here are 20 interesting facts about this Italian mountain range.
- The Dolomites are located in northeast Italy.
- This mountain range is part of the Southern Limestone Alps
- The mountains consist of limestone and dolomite, hence the name.
- They are also known as the ‘Pale Mountains’.
- The Italians call this mountain range ‘Dolomiti’.
- The Dolomites combine rocky wall faces with lush forests, stunning plains, and glacial peaks.
- A minimum of 18 of the peaks in this mountain range measure at least 3,000 meters in height.
- The Dolomites cover an area of approximately 1,419 kilometers square.
- Since 2009, the Dolomites have been a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The mountains are used for sports including skiing, hiking, mountain climbing, paragliding, and cycling.
- Punta Penia in the Marmolada range is the tallest peak in the Dolomites as it has an elevation of 3,343 meters.
- The mountains are known for the quality and quantity of fossil reef specimens.
- During World War I, the Dolomites were used as a battlefield.
- The Dolomites were formed 230 million years ago.
- The Dolomites have an alpine climate. This consists of rainy springs, short cool summers, dry falls and long snowy winters.
- This mountain range is well-populated with people living in villages in five Italian provinces.
- In addition to speaking Italian and German, the people who live in the Dolomites have their own language called Ladino.
- The main north-south road through the Dolomites is called the Campolongo Pass.
- English mountaineers first climbed the peaks of the Dolomites in the 1860s and 1870s.
- The Vaiont Dam in the southern Dolomites has overspilled twice due to heavy rain. On one occasion, this has caused the local village of Longarone to drown and over 2,500 people were killed in the tragedy in 1963.
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