Partizione delle Alpi

The Partizione delle Alpi (Italian for "Partition of the Alps", German: Einteilung der Alpen, French: Partition des Alpes) is a classification of the mountain ranges of the Alps, that is primarily used in Italian literature, but also in France and Switzerland. It was devised in 1926.

This classification system entails a division of the main arc of the Alps into the Alpi Occidentali (Western Alps), Alpi Centrali (Central Alps) and Alpi Orientali (Eastern Alps).

Structure

Mountain ranges of the Partizione delle Alpi and international borders

The basic structure is based on the three main divisions (Italian: parti, German: Teile). These were further subdivided into 26 sezioni ("sections") and 112 gruppi ("groups").

The term "Central Alps" should not be confused with the Central Alps within the north-to-south division of the Eastern Alps.

History and reception

This classification of the Alps was compiled in 1926 on the occasion of the IXth Congresso Geografico Italiano and published in the Nomi e limiti delle grandi parti del Sistema Alpino ("Names and Boundaries of the Major Elements of the Alpine System").

The system covered the entirety of the Alps and not just that part of the Alps that lay on Italian soil. In spite of that, the classification is focussed on Italy, because it does not employ the usual bipartite division, and in general the subdivisions usually used in other countries were ignored. It was seen as flawed because it included regions that, according to research, were not part of the Alps.

The following have been cited by Marazzi as basic shortcomings and inconsistencies:[1]

  • the inclusion of the Massif des Maures, which does not belong to the Alpine system either tectonically or geologically[2]
  • the Monts de Vaucluse, Montagne de Lure and the Luberon Massif were not counted as pre-alps of the Dauphiné in French literature, but as part of Provence, because they lay within that region. Moreover, the Provence Alps also include the "Prealps of Digne" (Préalpes de Digne), that were placed under Prealpi di Provenza (Provence Prealps, French: Préalpes de Provence)
  • in the Prealpi svizzere (Swiss Prealps) more northerly regions are included that, according to Swiss geographic literature, do not belong to the Alpine region, but to the Central Plateau, as part of the northern Alpine Foreland
  • the Alpi Noriche (Noric Alps) cover far too large an area in comparison with the groups given in Austrian literature (rather excessively the Tux Alps, the whole Tauern, the Alps of Styria and Carinthia are incorporated into the Noric Alps)
  • the Alpi bavaresi (Bavarian Alps), the Alpi salisburghesi (Salzburg Alps) and the Alpi austriache (Austrian Alps) are based on archaic concepts, the terms are used entirely differently in the German-speaking region
  • the inclusion of the Karst in a broad sense and Istria in the Alpine system, which, today, are considered part of the Dinaric Alps

More up to date versions of this system are found in standard works like the Dictionnaire encyclopédique des Alpes (2006)[3] or Il Grande Dizionario Enciclopedico delle Alpi (2007).[4]

Sections and groups of the three Alpine divisions

No.English nameItalian nameFrench / Slovenian names [note 1]German nameGroups (i.e. ranges)
(English names in brackets)
Western AlpsAlpi OccidentaliAlpes orientalesWestalpen From Colle di Cadibona to the Col Ferret
1Maritime AlpsAlpi Marittime (e Prealpi di Nizza)Alpes maritimesMeeralpen, Seealpen

1a Alpi liguri/Alpes ligures (Ligurian Alps)
1b Alpi del Var
1c Prealpi di Nizza/Préalpes de Nice, Préalpes Niçoises

2Cottian AlpsAlpi CozieAlpes cottiennesCottische Alpen

2a Alpi Cozie meridionali, Gruppo del Monviso (Southern Cottian Alps)
2b Alpi Cozie centrali, Alpi del Monginevro (Central Cottian Alps →Col de Montgenèvre)
2c Alpi Cozie settentrionali Catena del Cenisio/Massif du Mont-Cenis (Northern Cottian Alps)

3Graian AlpsAlpi GraieAlpes gréesGrajische Alpen

3a Gruppo del Gran Paradiso
3b Alpi della Tarantasia
3c Gruppo del Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc Group)

4Provence AlpsAlpi di ProvenzaAlpes de ProvenceProvenzalische Alpen

4a Gruppo dell'Asse
4b Gruppo della Bléone

5Dauphiné AlpsAlpi del DelfinatoAlpes du DauphinéDauphiné-Alpen, Dauphinéer Alpen

5a Gruppo del Champsaur
5b Massiccio del Pelvoux
5c Alpi di Moriana

6Provence PrealpsPrealpi di ProvenzaPréalpes de ProvenceProvenzalische Voralpen

6a Chaînes des Plans
6b Montagne di Sainte Victoire
6c Catena della Sainte Baume
6d Monti dei Maures e dell'Esterel/Massif des Maures et Esterel

7Dauphiné PrealpsPrealpi del DelfinatoPréalpes du DauphinéDauphiné-Voralpen, Dauphinéer Voralpen

7a Montagna del Luberon
7b Montagne di Valchiusa
7c Massiccio del Dévoluy
7d Vercors

8Savoy Prealps, Savoy AlpsPrealpi di Savoia, Alpi di SavoiaPréalpes de Savoie, Alpes de SavoieSavoie-Voralpen, Savoie-Alpen, Savoier Alpen

8a Alpi dello Sciablese (Chablais Alps)
8b Catena del Reposoir
8c Baujes
8d Massiccio della Grande Chartreuse

Central AlpsAlpi CentraliAlpes centralsZentralalpen From Col Ferret to the Brenner Pass
9Pennine AlpsAlpi PennineAlpes penninesPenninische Alpen

9a Alpi del Vallese (Valais Alps)
9b Gruppo della Val Sesia (Valsesia Group)

10Lepontine AlpsAlpi LepontineAlpes lépontinesLepontinische Alpen

10a Gruppo del Monte Leone (Monte Leone Group)
10b Gruppo dell'Adula (Adula Alps)
10c Alpi Ticinesi (Tessine Alps)

11Rhaetian AlpsAlpi ReticheAlpes rhétiquesRätische Alpen

11a Gruppo dell'Albula e Silvretta (Albula Alps and Silvretta)
11b Gruppo della Plessur (Plessur Alps)
11c Catena del Reticone (Rätikon)
11d Gruppo del Ferwall (Verwall Alps)
11e Gruppo del Bernina (Bernina Group)
11f Gruppo dell'Umbraglio (Umbrail Group)
11g Alpi Venoste (Vintschgau Alps)
11h Alpi Breonie (roughly corresponds to the Stubai Alps)
11i Alpi Sarentine (Sarntal Alps)
11j Gruppo dell'Ortles (Ortler Alps)
11k Monti della Val di Non (Nonstal Alps, Nonsberg Alps)
11l Gruppo dell'Adamello (Adamello Group)
11m Dolomiti di Brenta (Brenta group)

12Bernese AlpsAlpi bernesiAlpes bernoisesBerner Alpen

12a Massiccio del Finsteraarhorn (Finsteraarhorn Massif)
12b Gruppo del Wildhorn (Wildhorn Group)
12c Alpi Urane (Uri Alps)

13Glarus AlpsAlpi GlaronesiAlpes glaronaisesGlarner Alpen

13a Gruppo del Tödi (Tödi Group)
13b Gruppo della Sardona (Surenstock)

14Swiss PrealpsPrealpi SvizzerePréalpes SuissesSchweizer Voralpen

14a Prealpi della Simmental (Simmental Alps)
14b Prealpi dell'Emmental (Emmental Alps)
14c Prealpi della Linth (Linth Alps)

15Bavarian AlpsAlpi BavaresiBayrische Alpen

15a Alpi dell'Algovia (Allgäu Alps)
15b Alpi della Lechtal (Lechtal Alps)
15c Monti dell'Achensee (Achensee Mountains)

16Lombard PrealpsPrealpi LombardeLombardische Voralpen, Lombardische Alpen

16a Prealpi Luganesi (Lugano Prealps)
16b Alpi Orobie (Orobian Alps)
16c Prealpi Bergamasche (Bergamasque Alps)
16d Prealpi Bresciane (Brescene Alps)
16e Prealpi Giudicarie
16f Gruppo del Monte Baldo

Eastern AlpsAlpi OrientaliAlpes orientalesOstalpen From Brenner to Rijeka
17Noric AlpsAlpi NoricheNorische Alpen

17a Prealpi del Tux (Tux Alps)
17b Alpi della Zillertal (Zillertal Alps)
17c Alti Tauri (High Tauern)
17d Bassi Tauri (Low Tauern)
17b Alpi Carinziane (Carinthian Alps)

18DolomitesDolomitiDolomiten

18a Alpi di Gardena e Fassa
18b Gruppo della Marmolada
18c Alpi di Ampezzo e Cadore
18d Alpi della Valsugana e di Primiero

19Carnic AlpsAlpi CarnicheKarnijske AlpeKarnische Alpen

19a Alpi della Gail (Gailtal Alps)
19b Alpi di Tolmezzo

20Julian AlpsAlpi Giulie Julijske AlpeJulische Alpen

20a Alpi Giulie settentrionali (Northern Julian Alps)
20b Alto Carso (High Karst)
20c Carso Corniolino (Krain Karst)

21 Kamnik-Savinja Alps Alpi di Kamnik e della Savinja Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe Steiner Alpen 21a Kamniške Alpe (Kamnik Alps)

21b Savinjske Alpe (Savinja Alps)

22KarawanksCaravancheKaravankeKarawanken

22a Catena delle Caravanche (Karawanks chain)
22b Monti di Bacher (Bacher Mountains/Kamnic Alps)

23Salzburg AlpsAlpi Salisburghesi, Alpi di SalisburgoSalzburger Alpen

23a Alpi di Kitzbühel (Kitzbühel Alps)
23b Monti Steinernes Meer[note 2]
23c Monti del Kaiser (Kaiser Mountains)
23d Monti dello Stein (Lofer and Leogang Mountains)
23e Monti di Tennen (Tennen Mountains)
23f Monti del Dachstein (Dachstein Group)

24Austrian AlpsAlpi Austriache, Prealpi AustriacheÖsterreichische Alpen

24a Monti Totes (Totes Gebirge)
24b Gruppo del Pyhrgas (Phyrgas Group)
24c Monti di Sengsen (Sengsen Mountains)
24d Alpi di Ennstal (Ennstal Alps)
24e Gruppo dello Hochschwab (Hochschwab Group)
24f Alpi di Rax (Raxalpe)
24g Gruppo dello Schneeberg (Schneeberg Group)
24h Prealpi dell'Ötscher (Ötsch Prealps)
24i Selva Viennese (Vienna Woods)

25Styrian AlpsPrealpi di StiriaSteirische Alpen, Steirische Voralpen

25a Alpi di Stub (Stubalpe)
25b Alpi di Glein (Gleinalpe)
25c Alpi di Hoch (Hochalpe)
25d Alpi di Kor (Koralpe)
25e Monti di Windische Bühel
25f Monti Stiriani (Styrian Prealps)
25g Monti di Bucklige Welt
25b Monti di Rosalia (Rosalian Mountains)

26Venetian AlpsPrealpi TriveneteVenetske AlpeVenetische Alpen, Venetische Voralpen

26a Monti Lessini (Lessine Alps)
26b Altopiano di Asiago
26c Monte Grappa
26d Prealpi Bellunesi (Bellunese Prealps)
26e Prealpi Carniche (Carnic Prealps)
26f Prealpi Giulie (Julian Prealps)

27KarstCarsoKrasKarst

27a Piccolo Carso (Little Karst)
27b Carso istriano (Istrian Karst)

Table notes

  1. French names are used in the Western Alps and Western Central Alps, Slovenian in the Southern Eastern Alps.
  2. Monti Steinernes Meer means the entire Berchtesgaden Alps, not just the Steinernes Meer

Footnotes

    See also

    References

    1. Marazzi, La Suddivisione … (in German), p. 4
    2. Raoul Blanchard: Les Alpes Occidentales. 7 vols., Arthaud, Paris, 1938–56.
    3. Sylvain Jouty; Dominique Vulliamy (2006), Pascal Kober (ed.), Dictionnaire encyclopédique des Alpes [Encyclopaedia of the Alps] (in French), Grenoble: Glénat, ISBN 978-2723454605
    4. Enrico Camanni, ed. (2007), Il Grande Dizionario Enciclopedico delle Alpi [The great encyclopedic dictionary of the Alps] (in Italian), with Federica Beux, Francesca Panero and Pierangela Piazza; translated by Anna Maria Foli, Scarmagno: Priuli & Verlucca, ISBN 978-88-8068-392-6

    Literature

    • Comitato Geografico Nazionale Italiano (ed.): Nomi e limiti delle grandi parti del Sistema alpino. In L'Universo. Anno Vili, no. 9, Florence, 1926.
    • G. Bertoglio, G. De Simoni: Partizione delle Alpi (in 220 gruppi). Tipografia Alzani, Pinerolo, 1980.
    • AA. VV.: Guida dei monti d'Italia. 60 vols., TCI-CAI, Milan, 1936–97.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.