PALE DI SAN MARTINO

CROWN JEWEL OF THE ITALIAN DOLOMITES

The Pale (pronounced “pah-leh”) di San Martino, as this famous mountain chain is known, began its geological story 300 million years ago, in a shallow and calm ocean. Huge colonies of coral multiplied in enormous numbers until they had created reefs that were more than 1000 meters in height.  Once these ancient reefs emerged from the receding sea, they were shaped by the elements into their present, spectacularly chiseled form.  The rock's name, Dolomia, was named for its aristocratic discoverer. While on a trip here in 1788, the Marquis Déodat de Dolomieu discovered its unique chemical composition, specifically the double carbonation of calcium and magnesium.  The chemical composition of the Pale is known as Dolomia of Sciliar (general translation from the official website for the Tourism Agency for San Martino, Fiera and Vanoi, 2008).

It is this unique composition which gives the Dolomite peaks their famous rose pink color. Every afternoon as the sun begins to set, these much loved mountains begin to "glow" in ever-changing hues of subtle coral,pink and rose.  This phenomenon is called the Enrosadira.  Visitors often stop in their tracks to gaze in wonder at the "glowing" peaks as twilight descends. The colors are never the same twice and the daily evening spectacle is mesmerizing.