Carnic Alps
Encyclopedia
The Carnic Alps are a range
of the Southern Limestone Alps
in East Tyrol
, Carinthia
, South Tyrol
and Friuli
(Province of Udine
). They extend from east to west for about 100 km (62 mi) between the Gail River
, a tributary of the Drava
and the Tagliamento, forming the border between Austria
and Italy
.
They are named after the Roman
province of Carnia
, which probably has a Celt
ic origin.
The mountains gave their name to the stage on the geologic time scale
known as Carnian
.
The most important peak
s of the main ridge are:
The chief passes
of the Carnic Alps are:
and the superior Miocene
ages.
The most important peaks of the Carnic Prealps are:
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
of the Southern Limestone Alps
Southern Limestone Alps
The Southern Limestone Alps are the ranges of the Eastern Alps south of the Central Eastern Alps mainly located in northern Italy and the adjacent lands of Austria and Slovenia. The distinction from the Central Alps, where the higher peaks are located, is based on differences in geological...
in East Tyrol
East Tyrol
East Tyrol, or East Tirol , is an exclave of the Austrian state of Tyrol, sharing no border with the main North Tyrol part of the state. It corresponds with the administrative district of Lienz....
, Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
, South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
and Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
(Province of Udine
Province of Udine
The Province of Udine is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, bordering Austria and Slovenia. Its capital is the city of Udine....
). They extend from east to west for about 100 km (62 mi) between the Gail River
Gail River
Gail is the name of a river in the Southern Limestone Alps of southern Austria, a right tributary of the Drava River.Originating in the Tyrolean municipality of Obertilliach, it flows from west to east, reaching Carinthia in Lesachtal, running through the Gail Valley parallel to the borders with...
, a tributary of the Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
and the Tagliamento, forming the border between Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
They are named after the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
province of Carnia
Carnia
Carnia is a historical-geographic region of Friuli, whose municipalities all belong to the province of Udine, which is part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region.It covers the western and central part of the mountainous region of the Province of Udine...
, which probably has a Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic origin.
The mountains gave their name to the stage on the geologic time scale
Geologic time scale
The geologic time scale provides a system of chronologic measurement relating stratigraphy to time that is used by geologists, paleontologists and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth...
known as Carnian
Carnian
The Carnian is the lowermost stage of the Upper Triassic series . It lasted from about 228.7 till 216.5 million years ago . The Carnian is preceded by the Ladinian and is followed by the Norian...
.
The most important peak
Pyramidal peak
A pyramidal peak, or sometimes in its most extreme form called a glacial horn, is a mountaintop that has been modified by the action of ice during glaciation and frost weathering...
s of the main ridge are:
- Coglians / Hohe WarteCogliansMount Coglians is a mountain in the Carnic Alps, at the border between Italy and Austria , west to the Monte Croce Carnico pass...
(2,782 m) - Kellerwand (2,775 m)
- Monte Peralba / Hochweißstein (2,694 m)
- Monte Cavallino / Große KinigatMonte CavallinoMonte Cavallino is a mountain in the Carnic Alps. It was placed for sale with twin peak Rosskopf in 2011.The Austrian government suspended the sale in June after widespread criticism from the general public. The government had hoped to raise up to 121,000 euros from the sale....
(2,689 m) - RosskopfRosskopf (Carnic Alps)Roßkopf or Rosskopf is a peak in the Carnic Alps of Austria, near the boundary with Italy. On June 10, 2011, the Austrian Government offered it and nearby peak Grosse Kinigat for sale for €121,000.. The parcel of land is approximately , and the purchaser will not be able to restrict others' right...
(2,603 m) - HelmHelm (mountain)- References :* Peter Holl: Alpenvereinsführer Karnischer Hauptkamm, Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, Munich, 1988, ISBN 3-7633-1254-4* Raimund von Klebelsberg: Geologie von Tirol, Berlin, 1935...
(2,434 m)
The chief passes
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
of the Carnic Alps are:
- Plöcken PassPlöcken PassPlöcken Pass is a high mountain pass in the Carnic Alps mountain range at the border between the Austrian state of Carinthia and the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. It links the market town of Kötschach-Mauthen in the Gail Valley with Tolmezzo on the Tagliamento River.-See also:* List of...
(TolmezzoTolmezzoTolmezzo is a town and comune in the province of Udine, part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-eastern Italy.-Geography:Tolmezzo is located at the feet of the Strabut Mountain, between the Tagliamento River and the Bût stream. Nearby is the Mount Amariana...
to Kötschach-MauthenKötschach-MauthenKötschach-Mauthen is a municipality in the district of Hermagor in Carinthia in Austria.-Geography:The municipality lies 34 km in the west of Hermagor at the transition of the upper Gailtal into Lesachtal...
), road (1,360 m) - Naßfeld PassNaßfeld PassNaßfeld Pass is a 1552 m high mountain pass in Austria in the Carnic Alps in the Bundesland of Carinthia, leading into Italy.It connects the Gail River valley with Italian Valcanale...
(PontebbaPontebbaPontebba is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is located about 100 km northwest of Trieste and about 50 km north of Udine, on the border with Austria...
to Hermagor-Pressegger SeeHermagor-Pressegger SeeHermagor-Pressegger See is the administrative centre of the Hermagor district in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The town is named after Saint Hermagoras, the first bishop of Aquileia.-Location:...
), road (1,552 m) - Oefnerjoch (Forni AvoltriForni AvoltriForni Avoltri is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 130 km northwest of Trieste and about 70 km northwest of Udine, on the border with Austria...
to Sankt Lorenzen im LesachtalLesachtalThe Lesachtal is a valley in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is the uppermost part of the valley formed by the Gail River, and stretches from the border between East Tyrol and Carinthia to Kötschach-Mauthen ....
), foot path (2,301 m) - Wolayer Pass (same to Kötschach-Mauthen), foot path (1,922 m)
Carnic Prealps
The Carnic Prealps, which include the Friulian Dolomites, comprise all the mountains that stretch out from the valley of the Alto Tagliamento river down to the plains. The land in this area dates back to the superior TriassicTriassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
and the superior Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
ages.
The most important peaks of the Carnic Prealps are:
- Cima dei PretiCima dei PretiCima dei Preti is a mountain in the Carnic Prealps, the highest peak of the Friulian Dolomites, Italy. It is located at the boundaries between the provinces of Pordenone and Belluno....
(2,703 m) - Monte Duranno (2,668 m)
- Monte CridolaMonte CridolaMonte Cridola is a mountain of the Veneto, Italy. It has an elevation of 2581 metres....
(2,581 m) - Monte ChiadenisMonte ChiadenisMonte Chiadenis is a peak in the Carnic Alps, northern Italy, located between the comuni of Sappada and Forni Avoltri. It has an altitude of ....
(2,459 m) - Monte Cavallo (2,251 m)
- Campanile di Val Montanaia (2,173)