Dolomites

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Trentino-Alto Adige (Südtirol) - Italy

The Dolomites (Dolomiti), also known as the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, are a mountain range located 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. The Dolomites are located in the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli Venezia Giulia, covering an area shared between the provinces of Belluno, Vicenza, Verona, Trentino, South Tyrol, Udine and Pordenone.

The Pragser Wildsee, or Lake Prags, Lake Braies (Lago di Braies) is a lake in the Prags Dolomites in South Tyrol. The lake lies at the foot of the imposing rock face of the Seekofel (Croda del Becco 2,810 m) and is located within the Fanes - Sennes - Prags nature park.

It has an extension of about 31 hectares with a length of 1.2 km and a width of 300 - 400 m. It is one of the deepest lakes in the autonomous province of Bolzano, with a maximum depth of 36 m and an average depth of 17 m. The maximum water temperature is 14 °C.

It is a barrage lake, as its creation is due to the barrage of the Prags River due to a landslide detached from the Herrstein.

The Alpe de Siusi (Seiser Alm) is the highest mountain pasture in Europe. It is located in the Dolomites at an average altitude of 1,850 m and stretches over 52 km² between the Gardena valley to the north, the mountains of the Sciliar group to the south-east and Sassolungo to the north-east, which with its unmistakable profile is one of the most famous symbols of all the Dolomites.

Given the vastness of the area, from here it is possible to admire a large number of mountain groups: among others, the Sella Group, the Rosengarten group and the Marmolada. The Sassolungo (Langkofel) (3,181 m) is the highest mountain of the Langkofel Group.

The Saint Barbara Chapel is in a very beautiful location, slightly elevated on a hill above the village of La Val / Wengen. The inauguration certificate of the chapel, which also has St. Florian as the second patron saint, dates from 1491. Saint Barbara is the patron saint of miners.

It is believed that this was built by miners who smelted the ice obtained at Monte Pore in the Valparola valley. According to tradition, silver was previously mined in nearby Tolpei, which could also indicate why the patron saint of miners has a chapel here.

The municipality of Villnöß contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Koll (Colle), St. Jakob (San Giacomo), St. Magdalena (Santa Maddalena), St. Peter (San Pietro), St. Valentin (San Valentino) and Teis (Tiso). St. Magdalena is the last village in the Funes Valley and lays at 1339 m directly on the mighty foothills of the Geisler Group and thus offers one of the most beautiful panoramas in all of South Tyrol.