The UNESCO Dolomites Foundation | The UNESCO Dolomites logo
The brand logo with its iconic mountain skyline is an expression of those special features that led to the Dolomites being listed as a World Heritage Site. The name, given in all its multi-lingual variations, demonstrates the unity of the founding members of the Fondazione Dolomiti – Dolomiten – Dolomites – Dolomitis UNESCO.
This apparently simple design is actually rich in symbolism, expressing much more complex layers of meaning. The four peaks represent the cultures and languages, Italian, German, Ladin and Friulian, that thrive in the territories that make up the Dolomites. The silhouette formed by the latticework of vertical and horizontal lines expresses again both the landscape and geological value that led to the UNESCO listing of the site. The pattern of stark vertical lines represents those sheer thrusting rock walls with their jagged faults and fissures, while the softer, randomly placed horizontal lines represent both the stratification of the rock and the many ledges that nestle within them. The ample debris fields and gently undulating ground from which these imposing natural edifices project are pictured by a gently arching line that both mimics and reveals what lies beneath.
The orange colouring evokes the Alpenglow, the characteristic colouring taken on in the twilight by the Dolomite rock that makes up most of these mountains, the result of their chemical composition. The brand logo was designed by Arnaldo Tranti, winner of an international competition with over 400 entrants.
Cesare Micheletti