Tre Sassi plant

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Tre Sassi, after 1916
Tre Sassi, 2016

The fortress Tre Sassi (originally the official name Tra i Sassi was 'Between the Stones', which for unknown reasons eventually became Tre Sassi 'Three Stones') is part of the Austro-Hungarian chain of locks against the Kingdom of Italy .

It is located near today's provincial border between South Tyrol and Belluno in Rayon V of the defensive bar northeast of the Col di Lana on the Valparola saddle between the Hexenstein (Italian Sasso di Stria / Ladin Sass de Stria ) and the Little Lagazuoi ( Piccolo Lagazuoi ) and had the task of cordon off the upper Abteital and, as an extension, the Pustertal against the Falzarego Pass on the east-west connection from Cortina d'Ampezzo to Arabba ( Great Dolomite Road).

The crew consisted of an officer and 36 men.

Built in the years 1897–1900, the system, like most from this construction period, was already out of date at the start of the war and could not have withstood direct attack.

The Italians saw things differently, however, and so in 1915 the plant was fired at from a safe distance with heavy artillery and laid in ruins (the lock was only considered to be shell-proof up to a caliber of 21 cm). Although the armament, consisting of two 8 cm M 98 minimal card cannons , two 6 cm M 98 minimal card cannons and four machine guns, had already been removed in good time, the remaining crew was left behind. This resorted to a deception to distract the Italians from the new fortification on the Hexenstein: They left the lights on at night to simulate activity; this confused the Italians so much that they believed until the very end that the plant was still fully operational.

This ruse was also used with success in the La Corte lock .

In the meantime, renovation measures have been carried out and a museum has been set up in the plant, which is easily accessible from the road on the Valparola Pass.

literature

  • Erwin Anton Grestenberger: Imperial and Royal fortifications in Tyrol and Carinthia 1860–1918 . Verlag Österreich ua, Vienna 2000, ISBN 3-8132-0747-1 .
  • Wilhelm Nussstein: Dolomites. Austrian fortresses in Northern Italy. From the seven municipalities to the Flitscher Klause . Mittler, Hamburg a. a. 1997, ISBN 3-8132-0496-0 , ( Military History Travel Guide ).
  • COMPASS Carta Turistica Cortina d'Ampezzo ISBN 3-87051-062-5

Web links

Commons : Werk Tre Sassi  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 46 ° 31 ′ 40 "  N , 11 ° 59 ′ 29.5"  E