Italian Alpi Dolomitiche
Mountain group, northern Italian Alps.
Including a number of impressive peaks, 18 of which rise to more than 10,000 ft (3,050 m), the range and its characteristic rock are named for the 18th-century French geologist Dieudonné Dolomieu, who made the first scientific study of the region. The mountains are formed of light-colored dolomitic limestone, which erosion has carved into grotesque shapes. Popular with tourists and mountain-climbers, the area has a number of resort towns.