Col Quaternà, Mountain summit in Comelico Superiore, Italy
Col Quaternà is a 2503-metre summit of the Carnic Alps in the province of Belluno, on the border ridge above Comelico Superiore. Its north-eastern slope gives rise to the Digon torrent, a tributary of the Padola. From the top, the view runs west to the Padola peaks, the Popera group, Croda Rossa di Sesto and the Tre Scarperi, and east to the Frugnoni, Monte Cavallino, Palombino and Longerin.
During World War I, Col Quaternà was an observation point for Italian troops, who overlooked the Sesto Dolomites from the summit. Remains of fortifications and trenches from that period are still visible on the peak. The summit cross bears a plaque commemorating the fallen of the war, and further north, near Sella dei Frugnoni, stands a former Guardia alla Frontiera barracks that guarded the border.
A small statue of the Madonna was placed in 1967 at the spot where an inscription now stands, reading "A Maria Regina delle vette e della pace". Pope John Paul II passed along one of the trails to the summit on 13 July 1987, and the inscription marks that passage.
The summit is reached from Passo di Monte Croce di Comelico (1636 m) in about 3.5 hours, or from Malga Rinfreddo (1887 m) in about 2 hours. The route from Malga Rinfreddo is the shorter option; both trails lead to the cross on the top.
On the summit cross, a plaque below the figure commemorates the fallen of World War I; nearby stands a small statue of the Madonna placed in 1967 and inscribed "A Maria Regina delle vette e della pace". Pope John Paul II passed along one of the summit paths on 13 July 1987.
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