Moncodeno, Glacial cirque in Esino Lario, Italy

Moncodeno is a glacial cirque on the northern slope of the Grigna, mostly in Esino Lario with a small part in Cortenova. Its karst terrain holds hundreds of caves, including the Complesso del Releccio Alfredo Bini, one of Italy's deepest at 1,313 metres, and the Ghiacciaia del Moncodeno, an ice cave visited by Leonardo da Vinci.

In 1881 the 14th Congress of Italian mountaineers met in Milan, and CAI delegates were invited to the inauguration of the Capanna di Moncodeno at 1,800 m, the first refuge on the Grigne, built in the area studied by the abbot and geologist Antonio Stoppani. An avalanche destroyed it in 1897; the Monza CAI rebuilt it nearby in 1906 as Capanna Monza, which Fascists burned in 1944. The Rifugio Arnaldo Bogani, rebuilt and opened in 1951, replaced it.

The cirque takes its name from the Moncodeno pasture, and the surrounding Grigne slopes were studied by the Lecco abbot and geologist Antonio Stoppani, president of the Milan section of the Italian Alpine Club. The Ghiacciaia del Moncodeno, an ice-preserving cave, was visited by Leonardo da Vinci.

Moncodeno lies on the northern slope of the Grigna settentrionale, mostly in Esino Lario with a small part in Cortenova. The Rifugio Arnaldo Bogani, opened in 1951, is the reference point on this side of the mountain. The karst terrain holds hundreds of caves, so cave visits call for a guide and proper equipment.

A natural ice cave called Ghiacciaia del Moncodeno maintains freezing temperatures year-round despite being accessible during summer months. This happens because of its specific location and geological structure that traps cold air and sustains ice formation.