The Tree Peaks of Lavaredo, Dolomites (Italy)
The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, also called the Drei Zinnen, are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. They are probably one of the best-known mountain groups in the Alps. The three peaks, from east to west, are:
Cima Piccola / Kleine Zinne ("little peak")
Cima Grande / Große Zinne ("big peak")
Cima Ovest / Westliche Zinne ("western peak").
Tre Cime as seen from the foot of Torre di Toblin mountain
The peaks are composed of well-layered dolomites of the Dolomia Principale formation, Carnian to Rhaetian in age, as are many other groups in the Dolomites.
Until 1919 the peaks formed part of the border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Now they lie on the border between the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno and still are a part of the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. The Cima Grande has an elevation of 2,999 metres. It stands between the Cima Piccola, at 2,857 metres, and the Cima Ovest, at 2,973 metres.
The Three Peaks rise on the southern edge of the extensive pinnacle plateau with the Langen Alm, an alpine plateau at around 2200 m to 2400 m, which here forms the end of the Rienz Valley (Valle della Rienza). There are three small mountain lakes, the Zinnenseen. This area north of the mountains to the peaks to the municipality of part Toblach in South Tyrol and the Natural Park Three Peaks (up to 2010 Sesto Dolomites Nature Park), the since 2009 is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
The ridge of the battlements, which runs in a west-east direction, forms the border with the municipality of Auronzo di Cadore in the province of Belluno, which also represents the German-Italian language border. To the northeast, this ridge continues to the 2454 m high Paternsattel (Forcella Lavaredo), where it turns north to the mountains Passportenkopf and Paternkofel. In the west it sits across the Forcella Col di Mezzo transition to the Zinnenkuppe and on to the 2252 m high Katzenleiterkop.
To the southwest of the Drei Zinnen, the Forcella Col di Mezzo is followed by the Plano di Longeres plateau above the Valle di Rinbianco, a side valley of the Rienz Valley. Immediately south of the western pinnacle, the Forcella di Longeres saddle separates the Plano di Longeres from the Vallone di Lavaredo, a side valley of the Piave valley. To the south lies the Cadini group.
Cortina d'Ampezzo, 17 kilometers southwest, is the largest city in the area. Other larger towns are Toblach 13 kilometers northwest and Innichen 12 kilometers north.
The Tree Peaks of Lavaredo, Dolomites (Italy)
The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, also called the Drei Zinnen, are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. They are probably one of the best-known mountain groups in the Alps. The three peaks, from east to west, are:
Cima Piccola / Kleine Zinne ("little peak")
Cima Grande / Große Zinne ("big peak")
Cima Ovest / Westliche Zinne ("western peak").
Tre Cime as seen from the foot of Torre di Toblin mountain
The peaks are composed of well-layered dolomites of the Dolomia Principale formation, Carnian to Rhaetian in age, as are many other groups in the Dolomites.
Until 1919 the peaks formed part of the border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Now they lie on the border between the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno and still are a part of the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. The Cima Grande has an elevation of 2,999 metres. It stands between the Cima Piccola, at 2,857 metres, and the Cima Ovest, at 2,973 metres.
The Three Peaks rise on the southern edge of the extensive pinnacle plateau with the Langen Alm, an alpine plateau at around 2200 m to 2400 m, which here forms the end of the Rienz Valley (Valle della Rienza). There are three small mountain lakes, the Zinnenseen. This area north of the mountains to the peaks to the municipality of part Toblach in South Tyrol and the Natural Park Three Peaks (up to 2010 Sesto Dolomites Nature Park), the since 2009 is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
The ridge of the battlements, which runs in a west-east direction, forms the border with the municipality of Auronzo di Cadore in the province of Belluno, which also represents the German-Italian language border. To the northeast, this ridge continues to the 2454 m high Paternsattel (Forcella Lavaredo), where it turns north to the mountains Passportenkopf and Paternkofel. In the west it sits across the Forcella Col di Mezzo transition to the Zinnenkuppe and on to the 2252 m high Katzenleiterkop.
To the southwest of the Drei Zinnen, the Forcella Col di Mezzo is followed by the Plano di Longeres plateau above the Valle di Rinbianco, a side valley of the Rienz Valley. Immediately south of the western pinnacle, the Forcella di Longeres saddle separates the Plano di Longeres from the Vallone di Lavaredo, a side valley of the Piave valley. To the south lies the Cadini group.
Cortina d'Ampezzo, 17 kilometers southwest, is the largest city in the area. Other larger towns are Toblach 13 kilometers northwest and Innichen 12 kilometers north.