Forte Bus de Vela

Forte Bus de Vela is a stone fortification located on a hill at the entrance of a gorge and surrounded by three encircling walls of pink limestone. Inside, barrel-vaulted casemates, ammunition storage rooms, soldier barracks, and other chambers show how the structure originally functioned.

The fort was built between 1860 and 1861 as part of the Austro-Hungarian defense system and remained active for more than 50 years. It was abandoned after World War One when political boundaries in the region shifted.

The fort was part of the local defense network and shows how people in this region organized border protection during that era. Visitors can see in the preserved chambers how soldiers lived and worked at this remote outpost.

Visit on weekends when the fort is open and guided tours are available to help you understand the site better. Wear comfortable shoes as the climb to the fort is steep and the ground can be uneven.

The pink limestone walls of the fort are notably light in color and stand out distinctly from other fortifications in the region. This unusual coloring came from the local stone sources and shapes the appearance of the place to this day.

Location: Trento

Inception: 1860

Part of: Österreichische Festungswerke an der Grenze zu Italien

GPS coordinates: 46.08333,11.07250

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:25