Origins of Dolomites

The name “Dolomites” derives from the French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu who was the first to describe this particular type of carbonate rock responsible for the typical shapes and colour of these mountains.

The geological origins of the Dolomites date back to about 230 millions of years when the remains of nowadays extincted animals and plants were sinking to the seafloor of a low and open sea, the Tetide Ocean, creating a layer of fossilized remains that reached the height of hundreds of meters.

The Dolomites and the Alta Badia are therefore a natural result of deposits in form of marine sediments.

The tectonic events that followed raised the seabed by thousands of meters giving birth to a mountain range so unique as the history created it. The Ice Age contributed to the shaping about 2 million years ago when slowly retreating, sculpted out wide valleys, high vertical walls, created wave-like formations and gothic-looking rock spires.

The Dolomites have something extra: maybe it is because every rock is a witness of a different stage of world creation or maybe it is because of their surreal, glowing colour.

The undisputed beauty and uniqueness of the landscape combined with the fragility and peculiarity of this ecosystem allows the Dolomites to be among the UNESCO nominees for consideration as a natural heritage site.

Ladin Language

Once you cross one of the passes leading to Alta Badia, you will understand how well the local population is protected between the mountains.

But what is nowadays a picturesque drive was once upon a time a stenuous, dangerous and nearly impracticable journey. That made it possible for local traditions, scenery, legends and customs to stay relatively inaltered.

The probably most striking peculiarity of the area is the language spoken by the inhabitants, the Ladin.
The self-awareness of their own language plays a very important role in their identity.

This ancient language finds its roots in popular-Latin influenced by pre-Roman-Rhaetian elements.
The fact that this language has now been officially recognized by Italy and has some official rights in the region Trentino/Alto Adige shows how stubbornly persistent the Ladins are regarding preserving their distinctive elements.

Ladin is the official language in five Dolomitic valleys that are split between the regions of Trentino/Alto Adige and Veneto, the ethnic population counts about 38,000 people.

Alta Badia, recent past

The Dolomite area has been the central theatre of the bloody and hard battles fought between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy during the First World War. The cruel struggles carried out in order to secure the territory and define the borders often took place along inaccessible and dangerous mountain crests.

A cruel war faught in a merciless natural environment; many soldiers, not used to the tough and bitter conditions of the alpine climate, died of the so called “white death”, which means they perished under avalanches, snow or because of the freezing temperatures.

Many of the paths used by hikers nowadays, used to be military mule tracks and many of the vie ferrate were created as a way to help troops move fast at high altitude in very difficult conditions.

As both armies were trying to gain control of the peaks, ladders, suspension bridges and fixed iron cables were permanently installed, the vie ferrate. There are still many relicts scattered around those beautiful mountains, a witness of a dark past full of fear and uncertainty.

In order to keep the memory of those events alive, you can visit open air war museums at Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi. Most impressive the Kaiserjäger path, a quite strenuous secured hike starting at the Passo Falzarego and leading you along the original track used by the Austrians. Original but restored wartime tunnels, trenches and fortifications are to be seen along the way.

Alta Badia became part of the Italian territory after the First World War.

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