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© Manaz Productions

The summit of Mt. Lagazuoi


© Daniela Soldo

J. Ruskin once said: “...mountains are the great cathedrals of the earth, with their gates of rock, pavements of clouds, choirs of steam and stone, and altars of snow, sometimes with purple sparkling stars“. 


Mount Lagazuoi actually consists of two distinct main peaks, respectively called Grande Lagazuoi (2835 m) and Piccolo Lagazuoi (2778 m) in the Fanes Dolomites group. The two peaks are separated by the Forcella Lagazuoi gap (2572 m).
Both peaks are located in the Veneto region, a few hundred metres south of the border with South Tyrol.

On the summit cross of the Piccolo Lagazuoi, a wooden board pays homage to the victims of WWI.
 

The meaning of the summit cross

The custom of constructing summit crosses dates back to Ancient Greece and probably earlier. 
In Ancient Greece and in many ancient religions, the places of worship were built at a high altitude because people thought that the higher they could go, the closer they would be to God or their deities. Christianity adopted this custom. According to this ancient belief, many monasteries and crosses have been built in elevated places.


An easy path, accessible to people of all ages, leads directly to the summit cross of the Piccolo Lagazuoi at an altitude of 2778 m.: how to reach the cross that marks the top of Mt. Lagazuoi  >>>