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Wikipedia / Seiser Alm

(; ) is a Dolomite plateau and the largest high-elevation Alpine meadow () in Europe. Located in Italy's South Tyrol province in the Dolomites mountain range, it is a major tourist attraction, notably for skiing and hiking.

Geography

It is located in the western part of the Dolomites and has an elevation between and ; it extends for between Val Gardena to the north, the Sassolungo Group to the northeast, and the Sciliar massif to the southeast, which with its unmistakable profile is one of the best-known 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.

It is the largest mountain pasture in Europe. It is divided into numerous plots reserved to grazing or from which farmers obtain hay for their farms at lower elevations.

The eastern part has been included in Sciliar Natural Park since 1975.

Surrounding peaks

The pasture offers a panoramic view that includes (from north, in a clockwise direction): Peitlerkofel (, ), the Odle and the Puez groups (), the Gran Cir, the Sella group (), Langkofel (, ) and Plattkofel (, ), the Marmolada (), the Pala group (, ), the Vajolet Towers () the Rosengarten group (, ) with the peak of the Kesselkogel (, ) and the Schlern (, ).

Climate

History

The area was once a primeval forest used for hunting by Middle Stone Age people. In the Bronze Age, people began to use the forest as grazing land for cattle. A Roman mule path leads up to the plateau from Siusi.

Classification

The SOIUSA system considers the plateau as an alpine group with the following classification:

It also attributes to the plateau the three following subgroups:

  • Subgroup A: Palancia-Cresta di Siusi ridge

  • Subgroup B: Dorsal Denti di Terra Rossa-Punta d'Oro-Piz ridge

  • Subgroup C: Dorsal Bulacia-Salames-Col di Rende ridge

References

Further reading