Parco Naturale Sciliar-Catinaccio

The Schlern-Rosengarten Nature Park protects a varied Dolomite landscape of high pastures, forested valleys and striking limestone peaks. Its two defining massifs are the broad-topped Sciliar and the jagged Catinaccio, whose German name Rosengarten means “rose garden.”

Why it matters

Established in 1974 as South Tyrol’s first nature park, the protected area covers about 7,288 hectares across Castelrotto, Tires al Catinaccio and Fiè allo Sciliar. It preserves habitats and geological formations that help explain the Dolomites’ deep history. The park’s rock strata include traces of Triassic reefs and fossil atolls, linking its mountain scenery to the tropical seas that covered this region roughly 240 million years ago. The area is also included in the European Natura 2000 network.

What to notice

The Sciliar forms a compact, flat-topped silhouette, punctuated by the slender Santner and Euringer towers. Beside it, the Catinaccio rises in a serrated line of peaks, including the 3,002-metre Kesselkogel. The Vajolet Towers and Roda di Vaèl mark its rugged profile. Beyond these well-known summits, the park includes the Tschamintal, mountain forests around Seis, Fiè and Tires, and the small lake Völser Weiher. Pastures, hay meadows and larch woods give the landscape a changing seasonal character.

Context and history

The province designated the Sciliar-Catinaccio as its first nature park in 1974; the Rosengarten section was incorporated in 2003. The landscape combines high-altitude rock formations with long-established pasture and farming traditions. Fossil reef structures record the growth of Ladinian atolls, while the Catinaccio’s layered rock sequences have contributed to the study of Alpine geology. Local stories add another layer to the mountains: the Catinaccio’s evening glow is associated with the Ladin legend of King Laurin and his rose garden, while the Sciliar is linked to a cycle of witch legends.