Werk Tonale, Military fortification in Vermiglio, Italy
Werk Tonale is a concrete military fortress with steel gun turrets positioned on a mountainside to control access through two valleys. The installation consists of several connected structures arranged to oversee the surrounding terrain.
The fortress was built between 1907 and 1913 as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's defensive system against Italian advances in this mountain region. This work shows the military buildup of border areas in the years before World War One.
The fort shows how border defense mattered to communities in this mountain region. The installation reflects how people of the time made choices about protecting this exposed location.
The fort sits on a mountainside and is reached via a marked trail starting near SS42 parking areas. Visitors should bring sturdy footwear since the path is steep and conditions vary by season.
The installation was built with concrete, a still-new technology in the early 1900s, making it pioneering for mountain fortifications. This building method allowed for thicker walls that better withstood harsh mountain conditions and artillery fire.
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