The Bletterbach gorge - Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage

The Bletterbach gorge near Aldein/Aldino

The (hi)story of the Earth

The Bletterbach stream has carved its way deep into the foot of the mighty Weisshorn peak near Aldein. Since the last Ice Age, some 18,000 years ago, great rock walls have been formed here through weathering and erosion to create the Bletterbach gorge. You can today discover, admire and hike through a huge diversity of rock colours and forms – there are even ancient plants and animals to be seen here as fossils! Guided tours, themed trails, family hikes and a forest nature trail all open the gorge, a Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site, to adventurers large and small. And, after exploring the gorge or climbing the Weisshorn, the nearby alpine pastures are ideal for taking a rest.

The Bletterbach gorge: facts and figures

The layers of the Bletterbach gorge recount 40 million years of the Earth’s history. Together with the fossils discovered here, we can learn about the climate and the plant and animal species that once lived here.
The gorge carved out by the Bletterbach stream is eight kilometres long and 400 metres deep.
The Bletterbach gorge is also known as the “Grand Canyon of South Tyrol”.
The Geoparc Bletterbach is located at the entrance to the gorge: it is an important teaching and research centre where you gain geo knowledge and learn about the history of the Earth on guided geo tours.
There is also a dinosaur trail here that allows visitors of all ages to follow in the footsteps of these ancient reptiles.
Further information can be found here.