Lake of Fedaia
Fedaia Lake (Italian: Lago di Fedaia; Ladin: Lech de Fedaia) is a high-altitude reservoir at 2,054 metres above sea level, situated on the Fedaia Pass in the Dolomites on the border between Trentino and the Province of Belluno in Veneto. Created in 1956 by the construction of a dam on the Avisio torrent, the lake lies directly at the foot of the Marmolada — the highest peak in the Dolomites at 3,343 m — and is one of the most dramatically positioned bodies of water in the Alps.
At a glance
- Type
- Alpine reservoir (artificial lake)
- Period
- Dam completed 1956; Fedaia Pass used as Alpine route since Roman times
- Style
- High-altitude mountain landscape within UNESCO Dolomites World Heritage Site
- Location
- Fedaia Pass, border of Trentino and Province of Belluno (Veneto), Italy
- Coordinates
- 46.4641° N, 11.8630° E
- Altitude
- 2,054 m (6,739 ft) above sea level
Overview
The lake occupies the glacially carved trough of the Fedaia Pass, which connects the Val di Fassa (Trentino) to the west with Rocca Pietore and the Pettorina Valley (Veneto) to the east. The name derives from the Ladin word feida (sheep), reflecting the pass’s historical use as mountain pastureland. The reservoir serves as a water and hydroelectric resource, but its location beneath the sheer south face of the Marmolada and its surrounding UNESCO Dolomites landscape make it a major point of scenic and cultural interest on the classic Dolomite Grand Tour road circuit.
History
Before the dam’s construction in the 1950s, the Fedaia Pass was a naturally marshy depression drained by the Avisio. The pass itself was known since antiquity as a transhumance and trade route through the central Dolomites. During World War One, the Marmolada above the lake was the site of the notorious “City of Ice” — a system of tunnels and caverns built by Austro-Hungarian troops within the glacier, later partially destroyed by avalanches. The construction of the SS641 road over the Fedaia Pass in the mid-20th century and the creation of the reservoir transformed the area into a modern mountain tourist destination.
What you see
The lake’s defining visual feature is the near-vertical southern wall of the Marmolada, which rises almost 1,300 metres above the water’s surface and carries the only true glacier in the Dolomites on its north face. A cable car (Funivia Marmolada) ascends from Malga Ciapela, east of the dam, to Punta Rocca at 3,265 m, offering panoramic views across the entire Dolomite range. The dam wall itself, 68 metres high and 360 metres wide, is a piece of mid-century alpine civil engineering; a narrow road runs along its crest. In midsummer the bright blue-green water contrasts strikingly with the grey limestone and white glacier above.
Cultural significance
The Marmolada and Fedaia Pass area holds deep significance in Italian and Austro-Hungarian First World War memory, as this was one of the most extreme theatres of the White War (Guerra Bianca) fought on the glaciers above 3,000 m. An open-air war museum on the Marmolada summit (Museo della Grande Guerra) documents the conflict. The Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2009, encompasses the Marmolada massif, recognising the area’s Outstanding Universal Value as a geological and scenic landmark of global importance.
Practical information
The Fedaia Pass road (SS641) is open seasonally, typically from late May to November, and is closed in winter due to snow. The Marmolada cable car operates in summer (approximately June–September) and in winter for skiing. Accommodation options exist at Malga Ciapela and at the rifugi on the pass itself. The area can be very busy on summer weekends. Check local tourism sites and the cable car operator for current opening hours, prices, and road conditions.
Getting there
From Canazei (Val di Fassa, Trentino): drive east on the SS641 for approximately 12 km to the pass; the road climbs via a series of switchbacks. From Alleghe or Rocca Pietore (Veneto): approach from the east on the SS641. By public transport: SAD and Trentino Trasporti operate seasonal bus services along the Val di Fassa; check current summer timetables as service is limited. The nearest railway stations are Ora (Auer) on the Brenner line and Belluno on the Venice–Calalzo line, both requiring onward bus or taxi connections.