Recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Dolomite Mountains offer visitors stunning vistas. The magnificence of these vistas is derived from the mountains’ interesting geological history….read further  to discover how geological forces shaped this landscape.

Composition of the Dolomite Mountains

• The mountains are composed of three types of rock: volcanic, dolomite (dolomitic rock), and limestone.

• There is some controversy over the origin of dolomite, but here are the two most plausible theories:
  • Recrystallization. Dolomitic rock could be formed by the recrystallization of limestone (calcium carbonate): magnesium atoms are substituted by calcium atoms in the crystal structure (becoming calcium-magnesium carbonate).
  • Pressure. There is evidence that dolomitic rock is formed by applying pressure (either from deep burial or tectonic squeezing) to limestone.

Formation of the Dolomite Mountains

• Age of the Mountains. As is the case with the rest of the European Alps, the majority of the Dolomites were formed approximately 30 million years ago during the Oligocene and Miocene Epochs when Africa collided with Europe (the European plate subducted under the African plate); upon the collision, large portions of land were pushed high into the air, forming the range. The eastern most portion, however, goes back to the Triassic Period, 200-250 mm years ago.
• Explaining the mountains’ changing appearance: East versus West. Due to the underlying presence of solid porphyric rock, the Western Dolomites (Occidentali) did not buckle when the collision of plates occurred, but rather rose up as a single uncrumpled unit. Because the Eastern Dolomites (Orientali) had no such underlying support, they buckled severely, creating an  irregular, jagged shape.

Jagged peaks of the Eastern Dolomites (Orientali)

Solid mass of the Western Dolomites (Occidentali)

• Before there were mountains. Prior to the collision of the plates, the area that makes up the Dolomites was submerged by a tropical sea (the Tethys Sea) that connected the large bodies of water located to the east and west (what is now the Atlantic and Indian/Pacific Oceans). This sea disappeared as the plates squeezed the land upwards; however it left evidence of its existence: the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, Aral, Galilee, and Dead Seas are vestiges of the Tethys Sea. This is why, when you are hiking 2,000+ meters above sea level, you are bound to find ancient marine fossils embedded in the rock.

Travel Guides

• Use our ApproachGuides to Italian Food and Wine to ensure that you don’t miss out on the area’s German-inspired Italian fare and some of the best white wines in Italy.
• Combining a trip to the Dolomites with a visit to Venice takes you from 3,000 meters above sea level to a gondola in less than five hours. Find out what makes Venice’s architecture unique (and still standing) with our ApproachGuide to Venetian Architecture.