Geological Museum of the Dolomites

The Geological Museum of the Dolomites (in Italian Museo Geologico delle Dolomiti) is located in Predazzo, Fiemme Valley, in the Trentino Italian province. It is managed by the Comune of Predazzo and the Science Museum (MUSE) of Trento since 2012.

Geological Museum of the Dolomites
Museo Geologico delle Dolomiti
Geological Museum of the Dolomites is located in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
Geological Museum of the Dolomites
Location within Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
Established1899 (1899)
LocationPiazza Santi Filippo e Giacomo 1, Predazzo, Trentino, Italy
Coordinates46.312904°N 11.602725°E / 46.312904; 11.602725
TypeGeological museum
Websitewww.muse.it/en/visita/Muse-sul-Territorio/Pages/Museo-geologico-delle-Dolomiti-di-Predazzo.aspx

History

It was founded in 1899[1] in order to valorize the geological and natural heritage of the Dolomites through dedicated expositions of minerals, fossils, rocks, etc. After being transferred a few times during the XX century, it has its basis in the former "house of tourism and handicraft" in the main square of the village.[2]

In 2009, together with the Dolomites, it was inserted in the World Heritage List by UNESCO.[3]

In 2012 it became part of the MUSE (Science Museum of Trento).

The refurbishment of summer 2015 has contributed to valorize both the collection and the origins of the museum itself.[4] The initial interest for the geology of the Dolomites took in fact place in the XVIII century, in the form of explorations and studies conducted by scientists coming from all over the world.[5] Geologists, naturalists, explorers and scientists gathered in the hotel "Nave D'Oro" (Golden Ship) of Predazzo in order to study the peculiar geological formations in the area:[6][7] Alexander von Humboldt, Jean Baptiste Elie de Beaumont, Charles Lyell, Roderick Murchison, Amelia Edwards and many more.

Exposition
Bjuvia fossil from Triassic (240 million years ago), coming from Agnello Mountain, Predazzo

The museum owns more than 12,000 pieces, both geologic and fossil, and the hugest collection of invertebrates fossils of the Middle-Triassic cliffs in all Italy. It manages also an external educational itinerary, called "Dos Capèl geological path" (from Italian: Sentiero Geologico del Dos Capèl), that can be viseted during summer.

The museum is located in the main square of Predazzo. After the refurbishment of 2015, the hall remember the historical hotel "Nave d'Oro" (Golden Ship), with testimonials of the flourishing scientific and geological studies of the 18th century. The ground floor hosts an exposition regarding the history of the Dolomites and their scientific discovery. In the basement it is possible to explore the different mountain chains of Fiemme Valley and Fassa Valley: Lagorai, Latemar, Catinaccio, Marmolada-Monzoni and Sella.

The museum hosts also a scientific library with over 4,000 volumes regarding geology, mineralogy and paleontology, with a specific section dedicated to history and antiques.

Dos Capèl geological path
Kink band in sedimentary sequence (Livinallongo Formation, Ladinico Inferiore, Dos Capèl geological path, Predazzo)

The "Dos Capèl geological path" (in Italian: sentiero geologico del Dos Capèl) is an educational and hiking itinerary. It is 9.7 km (6.0 mi) long and the level of difficulty is not high.[8] Created in 1970, it was restored around 2000[9] and connected to the Museum of Predazzo as its open-air extension. The starting point is located in Pampeago (1860 m a.s.l.) and consists of a circular itinerary around the mountain Dos Capèl (2200 m a.s.l.) with 32 steps having informative panels, pictures and descriptions,[10] in order to learn and observe in person.[11] It is possible to reach this itinerary also from Passo Feudo, by the cable car of Ski Center Latemar.[12]

See also

References
  1. Benedetti, Amedeo; Benedetti, Bruno (2003). Gli archivi della scienza: musei e biblioteche della scienza e della tecnologia in Italia (in Italian). Erga. ISBN 978-88-8163-153-7.
  2. "Regolamento del museo geologico, Delibera di Giunta Comunale n. 58". www.comune.predazzo.tn.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  3. UNESCO (2009). "World Heritage 33 COM - Report of decisions" (PDF). Seville, Spain.
  4. "Inaugurato il nuovo percorso espositivo al Museo geologico delle Dolomiti di Predazzo". Fondazione Dolomiti Unesco (in Italian). 2015.
  5. Italiano, Club Alpino (1871). Bollettino del Club alpino italiano (in French). Vol. 5 (17-18 ed.). Turin. p. 87.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. Murray, John (1873). A handbook for travellers in southern Germany. London. p. 353.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. Italiano, Club Alpino (1874). Bollettino del Club Alpino Italiano (in Italian) (VIII ed.). Turin. p. 312.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. "Sentiero del Dos Capel". Wikiloc | Percorsi nel mondo (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  9. "Mirko Demozzi - Geologo e accompagnatore di territorio". Mirko Demozzi (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  10. "Predazzo, il Sentiero Geologico del Doss Capel, un libro di 200 milioni di anni". PredazzoBlog (in Italian). 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  11. Enrico (2008-08-08). "Emozioni Dietro L'Obiettivo: Il sentiero geologico del Dos Càpel". Emozioni Dietro L'Obiettivo. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  12. "Sentiero Geologico Doss Capel | Dolomiti SuperSummer". 2016-09-19. Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
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