AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF TRENTO

The Autonomous Province of Trento covers the southern part of the Alps. It is mountainous in its entirety, and formed by Alpine valleys like the Val di Sole, the Val di Fiemme and the Valle di Primiero, which lie at the foot of high massifs with glaciers and abundant water, and by sub-Alpine valleys, plateaus and small plains with a sub-Mediterranean climate that allows olive tree cultivation (for example, the north side of Lake Garda). In geological terms, it includes mountain massifs with a variety of origins. To the west, the landscape is dominated by the massifs of Mount Adamello, the Presanella and the Ortles-Cevedale (Eng. Ortler Alps), whose permanent snow cap is among the most extensive in Italy. In addition, the Autonomous Province of Trento can boast many Dolomite massifs: the Brenta Group or Brenta Dolomites (the only Dolomite massif to the west of the Adige River), the Marmolada, known as the Queen of the Dolomites, the Pala group (in Italian, the Pale di San Martino), which it shares with the province of Belluno), the Sella Group (shared with the provinces of Belluno and Bolzano), the Latemàr, the Sassolungo and the Catinaccio (at the border with South Tyrol). In the eastern part stand the Lagorai Mountains and the granite massif of the Cima d’Asta. These are the wildest, most unpolluted part of the province. Not so high but no less imposing are the Paganella and Mount Bondone, not far from the regional capital, not to mention the section of the Venetian Pre-Alps or Alpine foothills in the Province, which include Mount Baldo, Mounts Lessini, Piccole Dolomiti (Eng. Little Dolomites) and the Pasubio. The mountains and valleys of the Autonomous Province of Trento offer many natural monuments, like the pyramids at Segonzano, created by erosion. The territory contains the Stelvio National Park, the Adamello-Brenta National Park and the Paneveggio-Pala Group National Park. The most commonly spoken language is Italian, although Trentino dialect is also common. There is a German-speaking minority, with three lesser known languages officially recognised: Mòcheno, spoken in the Mocheni Valley; Cimbrian, spoken in Luserna in the Cimbrian highlands; and Ladino, spoken in Val di Fassa. The 2011 language census estimated that around 7000 inhabitants of the Val di Non and the Val di Sole also speak ladino, although without official recognition. Local economy centres on agriculture and livestock, industry (textiles, construction, mechanics, timber and paper), food with many wine producers and traditional distilleries, and fruit, especially apples. The abundance of mountains and water has led to the construction of hydroelectric plants. One of the region’s most important economic sectors is tourism, summer and, especially, winter. The jet set goes to Madonna di Campiglio, for the 3-Tre ski slope, a frequent venue of World Cup slalom events. In the eastern part of the Province lies the winter resort of San Martino di Castrozza, surrounded by meadowland once tended by the old monastery of San Martino e Giuliano, and by the peaks of the Pala group. San Martino, in the Primiero Valley, is considered by many to be the most beautiful part of the Dolo-

mites. The Primiero Valley is the setting for another beautiful and historical village, Fiera di Primiero, right at the foot of the Pala massif. Across the Passo Rolle from San Martino lies the Val di Fiemme, with the towns of Cavalese, Predazzo and Tesero. This richly forested valley is known as a major winter sports centre, especially for cross-country skiing: two cross-country skiing World Championships have been held here (1991 and 2003). To the north of the Val di Fiemme lies the land of the Ladino people, the Val di Fassa, with many small towns and villages, the largest and best known of them probably Moena and Canazei, overlooked by some of the most impressive massifs in the Dolomites: Marmolada, Sella, and Catinaccio. The Autonomous Province of Trento boasts many museums, including the following: the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento e Rovereto (MART), The Civic Museum of Rovereto, The Buonconsiglio Museum in the castle of the same name, The Tridentine Museum of Natural Science at Trento, The Museum of the Customs and Traditions of the People of the Trentino in San Michele all’Adige, the Italian War Museum at Rovereto and the Geological Museum of the Dolomites at Predazzo.