News from Villnoesser Valley / Val di Funes
The Dolomites: UNESCO World Natural Heritage
- On June 26 2009, the Dolomites were pronounced World Natural Heritage and were added to the list of the most beautiful landscapes on the world by the UNESCO.
On June 26 2009, the UNESCO added the Dolomites, including the peaks of the Odle, to the list of the most beautiful landscapes of the world. Through this decision the United Nations underlined the uniqueness of the Dolomites.
The Dolomites and their most famous peaks, for example the Odle, the Catinaccio, the Latemar, the Marmolada, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the Sciliar, which are the most important ones, rank among the most beautiful mountains of the world.
The Dolomites with the Nature Park Puez-Odle belong to the 50 most beautiful and most valuable landscapes of Europe. The Dolomites are the second World Natural Heritage area in Italy, the first one are the Aeolian Islands. In Germany, for example, the fossiliferous area "Grube Messel" in Hesse belongs also to the natural landscapes of the UNESCO.
The nature reserve of the Dolomites extends with about 135,000 ha over five provinces of Northern Italy and is composed of spectacular massifs. Nine mountain groups are now part of the World Natural Heritage and six of them are situated in South Tyrol: the Nature Parks Sexten Dolomites, Fanes-Senes-Braies, Puez-Odle and Massicio dello Sciliar-Catinaccio with Latemar and the canyon of Bletterbach.
The history of origin of the Dolomites is unique in the Alps: 250 million years ago, a giant coral reef formed in the primordial ocean Tethys. Nowadays, at the same place there are craggy mountains, deep valleys and soft hills. Because of the density of geological testimonials of the history of earth, the Dolomites are an ideal area for research and teaching.
Our Book tip: "Dolomites - World Heritage" by Reinhold Messner, Ursula Demeter and Georg Tappeiner.
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