Cold War itinerary on Colle Pion

rom Colle Pion it is possible to oversee the Pinzano Bridge across the Tagliamento River, a site of crucial importance for crossing the waterway. For this reason, the area played a strategic role throughout the twentieth century. It was here that the Italian Army attempted to establish a defensive line during the Retreat of Caporetto, and where Nazi Germany planned the construction of a monumental ossuary dedicated to the soldiers who had fallen in the area. The structure was never completed, but it was later used during the Second World War and suffered heavy damage from aerial bombardments. During the Cold War, the entire area was garrisoned by the Italian Army, and the unfinished ossuary itself was used as an observation post and troop shelter.

A short distance from these imposing remains lies a hilltop where several examples of Cold War fortifications can still be seen: two machine-gun positions, one disguised as a rock formation and the other camouflaged as a prefabricated building, as well as the perimeter of the emplacement that once housed a tank. From here, visitors can also reach a scenic viewpoint overlooking the Tagliamento River.

Descending the western slope of the hill, with the river behind you, you will encounter another defensive structure. The route then retraces its steps towards the starting point, where taking the right-hand branch at a fork leads to the barracks that once housed the soldiers responsible for manning the fortifications.