Fortify building of Civezzano, Military fortification in Civezzano, Italy

The Civezzano fortified complex is an Austro-Hungarian system of three permanent works: a main fort on the Dos di Castel Vedro, the upper road barrier on the road from Civezzano to Cognola, and the lower road barrier in the narrow Cantanghel gorge of the Fersina torrent. The main fort had two tiers of gun emplacements; the lower barrier had two casemates cut entirely into rock, a third added in 1896.

Construction of this Austro-Hungarian defensive system began in 1868 and was completed in 1876 under the supervision of Francesco Ranzi's company from Trento. The project was carried out to protect strategic mountain passages against possible threats.

The upper road barrier, built of squared limestone between 1869 and 1872, later served as a powder magazine, was decommissioned by the military, and housed a wine cellar before its 2016 restoration; it is now the only part of the complex open to visitors. The lower barrier's gun casemates were cut directly into the rock of the Cantanghel gorge.

Of the three works, only the upper road barrier, on the road from Civezzano to Cognola, is open to visitors; it was restored in 2016. The main fort on the Dos di Castel Vedro was destroyed in 1915 and replaced by a cave battery, and the lower barrier lies in the narrow Serra di Cantanghel gorge above the Fersina torrent.

The lower road barrier at Cantanghel was the first in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to have two gun casemates cut entirely into the rock; a third embrasure was added in 1896 to watch the newly opened Valsugana railway. A hidden passage linked it to a riflemen's outpost at the Serra tunnel mouth.