Museum fortress Montecchio near Colico

The Forte Montecchio is located on a hill above Colico. It is the only still intact fortress from the 1st World War with the four largest cannons in Italy. It was built between 1911 and 1914 according to the plans of General Enrico Rocchi and was intended to protect the Spl & uuml; Gen and Maloja passes as well as the Stilfser Joch from border violations by enemy troops.
The two-storey building consists of a main room and a wing. The military downstairs are housed in a wing separate from the main building. Both parts of the fortress of Montecchio are connected by a tunnel dug into the rock, which is protected by an approximately 2 meter thick arch.

 

On the The main building has four rotating cannons installed , which are protected by domes made of steel and cast iron. It is the most modern armament of the Italian fortresses of the 1st World War. The four cannons are the only ones that have been preserved in their original state to this day.
They were made in the French Schneider factory because the Italian armaments industry was unable to equip all fortresses in the country with cannons.
These cannons of the model 149/35s are not only the largest ; & rsquo; s Italy, but also still fully functional. Even if, of course, the removal of the firing pin now prevents you from being able to shoot with it.
In addition to being rotatable, every cannon has a height adjustment of-8 to +42 Degree, also via a non-return absorber, a loading device and an air pressure mechanism that enables the gases produced during the ignition to be expelled from the tube. Each of the cannons weighs 3800 kilos and could fire a wide variety of projectiles.
In later times the fortress was used exclusively as an ammunition depot, today it is owned by the Colico municipality and can be visited.
In the Inside the Forte Montecchio there is now a small war museum.

The attraction of Forte Montecchio is the armament. It consists of four powerful cannons that are still completely intact . Each cannon can fire from a distance of up to 14 km.

Opening times: April/May/June/July: Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
August: Monday-Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sept./Oct .: Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Extraordinary opening hours: Easter, April 25, May 1, June 2, November 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Visits start every hour. The last admission takes place one hour before closing.
Prices in the 2007 season: Free up to 5 years, from 6-14 years Euro 3.00, from 15-65 years Euro 5.00, over 65 years 3.00 Euros

Arrival: The fortress is located on a hill near the center of Colico. By car: Provincial road SS 36, exit Colico. By train: Milan-Sondrio railway line, Colico station


Contact address: Cooperativa Sociale Larius, Via Parravicini, 20/C, Colico, tel: 0341/94 1 688 (morning)

see also: Museo Guerra Bianca 1915-1918 in Adamello. For information and registration tel 338 59 26 220.

REGION: Lake Como North excursion tips (Alto Lario/Sights