The Friulian Dolomites and the Campanile di Val Montanaia
A solitary spire of rock
In the far west of Friuli, between the valleys of the Piave and the Tagliamento, the Dolomiti Friulane are the wildest and least known part of the Dolomites, protected by a natural park and part, since 2009, of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Dolomites. Here there are no ski lifts or large resorts, but a landscape of jagged peaks, deep valleys, forests and alpine pastures, where chamois, ibex, golden eagles and marmots live. Its symbol is the Campanile di Val Montanaia, an extraordinary rock spire about 300 metres high, which rises solitary from the scree at the end of the Val Montanaia, reaching a height of 2,173 metres, with an almost perfect shape like a bell tower, which has become one of the most famous climbing goals in the Alps.
The Campanile was first climbed in 1902 by two Austrian climbers, Viktor Wolf von Glanvell and Karl Günther von Saar, and on its summit there is a small bell, which climbers ring when they reach the top. To see it, you start from Cimolais, a village in the Val Cellina, where the visitor centre of the park is located, and drive or walk up the Val Cimoliana to the Rifugio Pordenone, from where a path climbs up to the Bivacco Perugini, at the foot of the spire, in about two to three hours. The hike, demanding but not technical, offers spectacular views of the Campanile and the surrounding peaks. The park also includes beautiful villages such as Erto, Andreis and Claut.
Tip: start early from the Rifugio Pordenone; wear proper mountain boots, as the scree is steep and loose.
Where it is
More things to see in Friuli Venezia Giulia
Where to stay near Cimolais
Tours and activities nearby
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