Tagliata della Scala, Military fort in Primolano, Italy.
Tagliata della Scala is a military fort built into the mountainside in the Valbrenta area, featuring multiple levels linked by underground corridors and covered passages. The structure includes firing positions, barracks areas, and fortified galleries designed to control the valley routes below.
Construction took place between 1892 and 1895 to secure key mountain passes and valleys during a period of growing military tensions in Europe. The fort was abandoned in 1916, marking the end of an era for this type of alpine fortification.
The fort represents late 19th-century Italian military architecture with its strategic placement controlling movement through the Brenta and Cismon valleys.
Wear sturdy footwear for navigating steep stairs and uneven ground throughout the fort. Plan to spend time exploring the multiple levels, as the layout can be confusing without taking a careful route through the passages.
A long underground staircase with more than 200 steps links two sections of the fort while including firing positions along its path. This hidden internal passage shows how soldiers could move quickly between strategic positions without exposure.
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