Falzarego pass - dolomites
Those who delve a little deeper into the Ladin culture will sooner or later stumble upon the saga of the Kingdom of Fanes.
The national epic of the Ladinians tells of an ancient battle of the sexes, in which the male members of the royal family ally themselves with the eagle folk, and the women band together with the marmots. The plot, which is no less convoluted and fantastical than that of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, includes the sorcerer Spina de Mul, who takes the form of a half-decayed mule, and the princess Dolasilla, who wears impenetrable ermine armour and shoots unfailing arrows. But there is no glorious winner in this saga: whilst the people of Fanes and their Queen lose the battle and are forced to live underground with the marmots, the Eagle King betrays his people and turns to stone. In the rocky massif of the Lagazuoi at the Falzarego Pass – in old Ladinian »Fauzo Rego« meaning »fake king« – you can still see the corrupt ruler in his geological form.
In 1909, the Passo di Falzarego was the last section of the Great Dolomite Road to be opened. Today it is still regarded as a technical masterpiece of road construction. Through 38 bends, it links Andraz in the Val Cordevole with Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Valle del Boite. Earlier motorists also appreciated the pass for its sporty curves: from 1947 to 1956, the Falzarego Pass was part of the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti, one of Italy’s most gruelling car races. It began at Cortina d’Ampezzo and traversed more than 300 kilometres, through the spectacular mountains of the Dolomites. Legendary racing drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari contested this event, against entirely unknown amateurs in their Alfas, Ferraris, Lancias and Maseratis. Recent years have brought a revival of the historic Coppa d’Oro, and the rally is now a regularity rally which is also part of the official FIA calendar.
Coming from the Gardena saddle, we first pass through the Val Badia and Valparola, past the impressive fortress ruins and trenches of the Alpine wars, before reaching the Falzarego Pass summit several hundred metres further on, at an altitude of 2,105 metres. Those who have the time and energy might like to scramble over the scattered boulders around the Col and venture further up to Little Lagazuoi, where the vista over the peaks of Marmolada, Monte Averau and the five tips of the Cinque Torri is simply breathtaking. Less athletic travellers can catch the cable car. We postpone the excursion for the next trip – as a sporting challenge heading to our Tyrolean dinner, we take a detour through the adventurous serpentines of the west ramp and over the no less twisty Giau Pass.
(c) Stefan Bogner - Jan Baedeker
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Comments (8)
Omg I would love to visit this road on my trike or on the back of my fiancé's bike, there's no better feeling than drifting round the corners just dropping left, right, left.... I love a smooth curved road with endless sweeping bends and beautiful scenery too, what an awesome place. how I wish I could travel so much.
very nice road! been there last september with 20 miatas ... castle ruin right next to the road is worth seeing! [parking for only 4-5 cars.] 👍🏼
That must have been a blast! Ideal road for a little Miata!
This looks incredible! And not far from me at all living in Ticino... I feel a road trip coming on soon!
Saving this road to my favorites. Thanks for the lovely read!
I have photos from Mountains around. I felt in love with this road, when i saw it.