World War I, known also as Great War, has been protagonist on the world scene since the first war declarations on 1914 until peace agreements on 1919.
This War was fighted on the Dolomites and also in Mount Marmolada area from 1915 to 1917.
Our border land has become a fierce battle scene, where there aren’t winners or losers, but only victims. There were victims from the fights, but also lots of them due to avalanches and coldness.
Young soldiers belonging from each fronts italian and austrian, tried to survive in a very rough environment with limited means at their disposal. Surely a good example of their genius was the construction of the famous Eisstadt, also known as Ice Town. It was a sort of little village built in the glacier, between tunnels and small huts able to host about 300 soldiers away from enemies sights.
A precise Eisstadt representation is preserved at Marmolada Great War Museum at the second Marmolada cable car station.
There are plenty of Great War signs at Rocca Pietore land not to forget what happened during this long and difficult period. It is now possible to visit tunnels, trenches carved in the dolomites rock, monuments dedicated to the victims and high mountain huts ruins.
Don’t miss to visit Great War trenches at Mount Mesola, they are the longest in Europe. These trenches are reachable in 30 minutes walking from Padon Refuge.
Another interesting area is Serauta Monumental Area on Mount Marmolada. Here you have the chance to visit monuments dedicated to soldiers both from Austria and Italy.
“They were divided in war, but are now together in our memories” is the quotation carved on a marble column.
For more information it is possible to visit Marmolada Great War Museum website.
