Northern Dolomites

The most extensive of the UNESCO Dolomite Systems, it covers an area of 53,586 hectares in the provinces of Belluno and Bolzano. Its boundaries are the Pusteria, Sesto and Badia valleys, Valle di San Cassiano and the Boite and Piave valleys and it consists of four main areas: the Sesto-Cadini Dolomites, the Fanes-Senes-Braies chains with the Tofane and Cristallo peaks and the Cadore Dolomites.

The Sesto-Cadini Dolomites are in the far north-eastern part of the Dolomites, featuring spectacular peaks looming more than 2,000 metres above the huge rocky high plateaux. As well as the triple peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo, undoubtedly one of the most well-known and iconic chains, the System is also home to mounts Croda Rossa, Punta Tre Scarperi, Croda dei Toni and Cadini di Misurina. Val d’Ansiei separates the Sesto-Cadini Dolomites from the Monte Cristallo chain. Valle di Landro separates the Sesto-Cadini Dolomites from the Fanes-Senes-Braies chain and the Tofane peaks, an area occupying the north-western and central part of the Northern Dolomites System. Peaks in this area include Lagazuoi ridge the Tofane peaks and the Conturines chain.

The Cadore Dolomites to the south-east are dominated by mounts Sorapis, Marmarole and Antelao which, at 3,264 m, is the second highest peak in the Dolomites after Marmolada.

The Northern Dolomites System has an extraordinarily rich heritage in terms of its landscape, natural history and geology. For this reason, and given the extensive size of the area, three protected areas have been created to be preserved and promoted: the Dolomiti d’Ampezzo Natural Park, the Tre Cime Natural Park  and the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Park.

Northern Dolomites 5

Geology

This is the most extensive System in the Dolomites World Heritage Site and contains the most continuous and varied sequence of rocks in the Dolomites. These mountains tell of the different environments that succeeded one another over a period of more than 270 million years, from the Palaeozoic era to the Tertiary. The area can be divided into three sections. The first includes the Sesto Dolomites, Tre Cime and Cadore Dolomites, where the most interesting geomorphological features are the great plateaux such as the Piani di Lavaredo and Piani di Cengia, the ledges and balconies that formed on the roof of the Dolomites, evidence of the Ladinian-Carnian islands. The second section contains the areas of the Settsass, the geology has long been the subject of detailed studied due to its regular sections and the wealth of paleontological evidence. The third includes the areas of Fanes, Senes, Braies and the Ampezzo Dolomites, one of the most evocative dolomitic landscapes in which the sequence of rocks, over 3,000 metres thick, spans a period from 270 million to 25 million years ago.

The geology of System 5: Northern Dolomites – PDF

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Accessible Dolomites

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Stages of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail: 12, 13-16, 17-19, 20-21, 43-44

360° pictures of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail: Settsass, Tofane, Fanes, Vallon Popera, Sorapiss

This is the most extensive System in the Dolomites World Heritage Site and contains the most continuous and varied sequence of rocks in the Dolomites. These mountains tell of the different environments that succeeded one another over a period of more than 270 million years, from the Palaeozoic era to the Tertiary. The area can be divided into three sections. The first includes the Sesto Dolomites, Tre Cime and Cadore Dolomites, where the most interesting geomorphological features are the great plateaux such as the Piani di Lavaredo and Piani di Cengia, the ledges and balconies that formed on the roof of the Dolomites, evidence of the Ladinian-Carnian islands. The second section contains the areas of the Settsass, the geology has long been the subject of detailed studied due to its regular sections and the wealth of paleontological evidence. The third includes the areas of Fanes, Senes, Braies and the Ampezzo Dolomites, one of the most evocative dolomitic landscapes in which the sequence of rocks, over 3,000 metres thick, spans a period from 270 million to 25 million years ago.

The geology of System 5: Northern Dolomites – PDF

Mountain huts

Accessible Dolomites

Museums

High quality

Stages of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail: 12, 13-16, 17-19, 20-21, 43-44

360° pictures of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail: Settsass, Tofane, Fanes, Vallon Popera, Sorapiss

The MarmaroleTre Cime di Lavaredo from Monte PaternoView over Altopiano di Fanes, Tofane and Cinque Torri

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Anello Ra Stua

Malga Larieto – Forcella Zumeles

Armentara

Prato Piazza / Plätzwiese

Passo Tre Croci – Rifugio Vandelli

Anello delle Tre Cime di Lavaredo / Drei Zinnen

Rifugio Berti – Vallon Popera – Rifugio Lunelli

Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d’Ampezzo

Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d’Ampezzo

Sentiero per Rifugio Pederù / Berggasthaus Pederü

Val D’Oten

Val Fiscalina / Fischleintal  – Parco Naturale Tre Cime / Naturpark Drei Zinnen