Trentino is a mainly mountainous province, rich in rivers, torrents and numerous lakes, clusters and chains of mountains of singular beauty, divided in two by the valley of the river Adige. To the west one finds the glaciers of the group Adamello-Presanella-Care Alto and the group of Brenta. To the east the groups of Lagorai, Latemar, the Dolomites of Fassa, and the Pale di S. Martino. Many alpine valleys break away from the valley of Adige: the Valsugana, the Vallarsa, the Val di Non, the Val di Sole, the Val di Cembra, Fiemme and Fassa; inside instead the valley Giudicarie and Rendena. The principle lakes are those of Garda, Caldonazzo, Tovel and Ledro; thermal waters gush forth from springs rich in therapeutic properties. Extensive coniferous forests cover the dolomitic slopes and wide table-lands like those of Folgaria, Lavarone and Pine. Three natural parks, Adamello-Brenta, Paneveggio-Pale of S. Martino and Stelvio conserve the typical species of animals and vegetation of the alpine environment including even the bear.
The independent province of Trento is endowed with a special statute which gives it particular legislative authority. Trento is the administrative headquarters of the province and of the region Trentino-Alto Adige. Rovereto is the second centre of the province, a city of culture and industrial site.
Most of the Dolomites and Südtirol (the South Tirol, which encompasses the Trentino and Alto Adige regions) belonged to Austria until it was handed over to Italy at the end of World War I. In fact, many residents, especially in and around Bozen, Merano, and Brixen, still prefer the ways of the north to those of the south. They eat Austrian food, go about life with Teutonic crispness, and, most noticeably, tend to avoid speaking Italian in favor of their native German-based dialect -- to them, these towns are called Bozen, Meran, and Brixen. Some villages even speak Ladin, a vestigial Latin dialect related to Switzerland's Romansch. And they live amid mountain landscapes that are more suggestive of Austria than of Italy.
The eastern Alps that cut into the region are gentle and beautiful. A little farther to the east rise the Dolomites -- dramatically craggy peaks that are really coral formations that only recently (in geological terms) reared up from ancient seabeds. Throughout Trentino-Alto Adige, towering peaks, highland meadows, and lush valleys provide a paradise for hikers, skiers, and rock climbers. Set amid these natural spectacles are pretty, interesting towns and castles to explore and a hybrid Teutonic-Latin culture to enjoy. |
