Europe Explored » winter olympics https://europeexplored.com Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Mont Blanc – the highest mountain of European Union https://europeexplored.com/2011/01/31/mont-blanc-the-highest-mountain-of-european-union/ https://europeexplored.com/2011/01/31/mont-blanc-the-highest-mountain-of-european-union/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:29:14 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=2452 Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and it is also the highest mountain of European Union countries. Mont Blanc peak reaches an altitude of 4810 m. The mountain is located between the regions of Aosta Valley in Italy, and Haute-Savoie in France. Under the Mont Blanc massif leads one of the main […]

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Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and it is also the highest mountain of European Union countries. Mont Blanc peak reaches an altitude of 4810 m. The mountain is located between the regions of Aosta Valley in Italy, and Haute-Savoie in France. Under the Mont Blanc massif leads one of the main routes between Italy and France. The tunnel started to build here in 1957 and was completed in 1965 and is 11.6 km long. The first climbers in Mont Blanc were Jacques Balmat and the doctor Michel Paccard, who reached the peak on 8th August 1786. The first woman who reached the top of Mont Blanc was Marie Paradis in 1808.

The top of Mont Blanc is covered by a thick layer of ice and snow. In 1893 the observatory was built at the top, but due to unfavorable conditions it was abandoned in 1909 and it finally fell. Mont Blanc is very popular for rock climbing, hiking, skiing and snowboarding. In the vicinity there are two towns – Courmayeur in Italy, and Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France —the site of the first Winter Olympics, there is also a ski resort.


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Cortina d’Ampezzo – paradise for sport lovers in Italy https://europeexplored.com/2010/08/17/cortina-dampezzo-paradise-for-sport-lovers-in-italy/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/08/17/cortina-dampezzo-paradise-for-sport-lovers-in-italy/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:10:36 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=967 In the Southern Alps, located in the northern part of Italy is where you will find the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo. The town is a well-known skiing spot which has many fine accommodations, restaurants and shops throughout the area. Cortina d’Ampezzo was the original planned location for the Olympics back in 1944, but as a […]

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In the Southern Alps, located in the northern part of Italy is where you will find the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo. The town is a well-known skiing spot which has many fine accommodations, restaurants and shops throughout the area. Cortina d’Ampezzo was the original planned location for the Olympics back in 1944, but as a result of the war, the location was changed. However, after the war was over, the town was able to host the Winter Olympics in 1956.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy by Snowdog

The 1963 film The Pink Panther was filmed in the area as was the 1981 James Bond sequel, For Your Eyes Only. Several scenes from the film cliffhanger were also filmed in the slopes surrounding Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The town itself is situated atop the Valle del Boite with the valleys of Puster, Val d’ Ansiei and Agordo on all sides. To the west of Cortina d’Ampezzo is where you will find the famous Tofane Mountains. The Pomagagnon Mountains are to the north, Sorapis and Faloria Mountains to the East and the Becco di Mezzodì mountains to the south.

Back in 1420, Cortina d’Ampezzo was part of the Republic of Venice and by 1508 it would fall under Austrian control. The city remained in control by Habsburg until 1920. As a result, most of the males in Cortina d’Ampezzo were enlisted into the Austrian military during the First World War. After the end of the First World War, the city would become part of Italy. It was not until after the war that the city received the name Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Many of the world’s finest winter sporting events have been held in the slopes surrounding Cortina d’Ampezzo over the years. The Nordic as well as the Alpine World Skiing Championships have been held in the city throughout the 1940s. While the city has made bids for both the 1988 and 1992 winter Olympics, they unfortunately lost the bids to Calgary and Albertville.

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