Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Mountain peaks in Sexten Dolomites, Italy.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo is a group of three limestone peaks in the Sexten Dolomites of Belluno province, with Cima Grande rising to 2,999 meters (9,839 feet), Cima Ovest to 2,973 meters (9,754 feet), and Cima Piccola to 2,857 meters (9,373 feet). The northern walls drop vertically and form one of the most recognizable mountain profiles in the Alps, while the southern slopes are gentler and ringed by a high plateau.
The area became a front line during the First World War between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops, who carved tunnels and positions into the rock faces. After the war ended, the region changed hands several times before becoming part of Italy permanently.
The Ladin name refers to the three stone towers that stand side by side, each with its own distinct profile visible from the approach trails. Hikers today pass stone markers and old boundary signs that mark where different territories once met in these high mountains.
A circular trail of about ten kilometers (six miles) loops around the peaks starting from Rifugio Auronzo and takes around three and a half hours to walk. The route is well marked and offers several branches to other mountain huts where visitors can view the northern walls from closer positions.
The peaks belong to a World Heritage site and are surrounded by several small lakes scattered across the plateau in shallow depressions. On clear days, the rock faces reflect in the water and create changing views depending on the time of day and light conditions.
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