Conca Agordina (Dolomites)

The Conca Agordina

Into the wild Heart of the Dolomites

The Agordino Basin (Italian: Conca Agordina) is a wide valley of the Dolomites UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site located in the Province of Belluno, Veneto Region, which coincides with the southern part of the Agordino area (and thus with the southern part of the Cordevole Valley). The Conca Agordina borders to the north with the Municipalities of the High Agordino (Alto Agordino), to the east with the Val di Zoldo, to the west with the Trentino and to the south with the Municipalities of the Valbelluna.

The Conca Agordina is located in a marvelous, fascinating position right in the geographic heart of the Dolomites; it is surrounded by 12 marvellous Dolomites peaks belonging to 5 different Dolomitic systems. The Conca Agordina includes 6 Municipalities of the Agordino area: Agordo (administrative center), La Valle Agordina, Taibon Agordino, Voltago Agordino, Rivamonte Agordino and Gosaldo. Gosaldo is considered part of the Agordino Basin even if its correct geographic position would be the Mis Valley (Val del Mis).

The Conca Agordina in the Heart of the Dolomites, Italy — The Conca Agordina from the slopes of Mount Pizzon (Monti del Sole): Rivamonte Agordino in the foreground, Agordo and La Valle Agordina in the valley floor, Pelsa (left), Civetta-Molazza-Framont (central position), Pelmo and Croda da Lago (right)

Conca Agordina in the center of the Italian Dolomites — The Conca Agordina from the Belvedere on the Sasso di San Martino

The Conca Agordina, Alta Via 1 Dolomites — The Conca Agordina from the Alta Via delle Dolomiti n. 1

Dolomites of the Agordino — Moiazza and cows nearby Malga Framont

Referring to the official classification of the Dolomites by the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, the Agordino Basin is located in the suggestive context of the Pale di San Martino, San Lucano, Vette Feltrine and Dolomiti Bellunesi, the 3rd of the 9 officially recognized and protected Dolomites UNESCO Systems. From the Conca Agordina, guests can admire the peaks of the Pale di San Martino (Agner Group, Pale di San Martino Plateau, Focobon Group, Pale di San Lucano), of the Dolomiti Agordine or Dolomiti di Zoldo (Framont, Moiazza, Civetta, Pelsa, San Sebastiano Group), the peaks of the Marmolada Group (Marmolada, Piz Zorlet, Cime di Pezza, Cime d’Auta), The Schiara Group (Cime di Zita, Monte Celo, Schiara), Monti del Sole and Gruppo di Cimonega.

The Conca Agordina in the Italian Dolomites — The Conca Agordina from the Alta Via delle Dolomiti 1 at the foot of the San Sebastiano

Conca Agordina Dolomites Italy — Agner, Rosetta, Pale di San Lucano from the Don di Agordo

As said before, the main town in the Conca Agordina is Agordo; the village, whose charming hamlet are scattered all over the basin, is completely surrounded by woodlands and peaks. The area is very reach in natural resources and it is historically bounded to the Serenissima Republic of Venice and to Italy (differently from the Tyrolean areas of the modern Agordino which were bounded to the Tyrol and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire). The main source of income for the ancient inhabitants of the place was mining industry in all its aspects: workings, coal production, metal processing, education of mining experts and workings. A centuries-old tradition that can be spotted everywhere in the Conca Agordina still today.

La Croda Granda dalla frazione di Tiser — The Piz di Sagron from the hamlet of Tiser in Gosaldo

Chiesa di San Cipriano a Taibon Agordino — San Cipriano church in Taibon Agordino

Unlike the Municipalities of the High Agordino (Alto Agordino), most of the inhabitants of the lower part of the Agordino area are involved in the eyewear industry rather than in tourism. Nevertheless, the beauty of the natural setting as well as the unparalleled amount of Dolomites peaks of this area assure a constant flow of tourists all over the year.