Paleontologists in Italy have uncovered thousands of dinosaur footprints on a remote, near-vertical rock face in a national park close to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics venue of Bormio, officials announced, writes DW.

The footprints, which number up to 20,000 and which date back around 210 million years to the Triassic Period, were spotted by wildlife photographer Elio Della Ferrera back in September.

The prints measure up to 40 centimeters wide and in some cases are so well preserved that claw marks are clearly visible, making the find one of the most spectacular discoveries in decades.

“This is one of the largest and oldest footprint sites in Italy, and among the most spectacular I’ve seen in 35 years”, said Cristiano Dal Sasso, paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in Milan, speaking at a press conference at the headquarters of the Lombardy Region on Tuesday. “This time, reality really does surpass fantasy”.