Fort Bazberg

Fort Bäzberg with the three tower cannons and the barracks

The Fort Bäzberg was an artillery unit (A8860) of the Gotthard fortifications in space Andermatt and 1892 with lying on his foot Fort Buehl one of the first rock art in Europe. The fort, built in 1892, was used as a combat facility in 1947 and served as mountain accommodation until 2017.

history

With the completion of the first Gotthard tunnel in 1882, the importance of the Gotthard axis and the need for military security increased. The fortress construction began in the Airolo area and on the Gotthard Pass and continued in the Andermatt area on both sides of the Schöllenen Gorge .

Towards the end of the 19th century, the three artillery works Fort Stöckli , Fort Bühl and Fort Bäzberg were built, during the Second World War the Gütsch artillery works were added and during the Cold War there was underground mountain accommodation on the Bäzberg and Gütsch.

plant

Bazbergstrasse

Access by road and valley station of the military cable car in the Schöllenenschlucht

That at 1850 m above sea level. M. lying fort should serve as increased security with a far-reaching artillery. As in Airolo the fortress Motto Bartola the Forte Airolo secured, the Fort Bäzberg should the 400 meters below Fort Buhl cover from its inflated position.

For this purpose, an elaborate four-kilometer access road had to be built. Construction of the road began in 1889, construction of the fort in 1890 and ammunition in 1891. In 1892 the work was ready to fire.

In the following years the accommodation and armament were expanded and improved. After 1903, a permanent annex battery was set up outside the plant, with which the valley floor between Andermatt and Hospental could be brought under fire.

During the Second World War , the Z316 military cable car was built from the Schöllenenschlucht (Teufelswand entrance) to the Bäzberg. The mountain station is next to the rock barracks and is connected to Fort Bäzberg by a long tunnel. The team received modern mountain accommodation.

Mission and armament

The purpose of the facility was primarily to block the Schöllenen Engnis from the Urnerloch to the Teufelsbrücke .

First armament with additions from 1902/1903:

three armored turrets, each with a 12 cm cannon
four 5,3-cm- Fahrpanzer (rapid-fire cannons with retractable armored turrets model 1887)

two rotatable observation turrets.

three 8.4 cm circular barrel cannons on center pivot mounts in the annex battery

In 1951, the outdated artillery and the armored turrets, which were threatened by air attacks, were replaced by two 12 cm fortress mine throwers.

Complementary buildings

Fleuggern battery position

From 1911 to 1913 were at 1900 m above sea level. M. 600 meters southwest of the fort Bäzberg created two half battery positions for four 12-cm position guns with the firing direction Gotthard Pass.

Battery positions Rosmettlen

1911/1912 was at 2100 m above sea level. M. northwest of Hospental built a forward position for two half-batteries, each with two 12 cm position guns, and a rear position for another half-battery with two guns, firing in the Furkapass direction . The position was provided with shelters, magazines and seven accommodation buildings.

Log cabin Brückwaldboden

The 1890/1891 at 1405 m above sea level. M. to secure the access road, a massive two-story block house with rifle loops was added in 1891 with additional rifle loops in three curves of the Bäzbergstrasse.