Blockhaus, Mountain peak in Caramanico Terme, Italy

Blockhaus is a mountain peak in the Abruzzo region that rises to 2,143 meters and forms part of the Maiella massif within the central Apennine range. Multiple marked trails lead to the summit from different starting points across the surrounding valleys.

The name comes from a small wooden fort with a rectangular stone base built around 1863, after Italian unification, by an Austrian military commander stationed on the summit with his soldiers to counter brigandage. The fort stayed active until 1867; only the ruins of the stone base remain. Near the top, at the foot of Monte Cavallo, the Tavola dei Briganti bears an inscription carved around 1867 by members of the Banda della Maiella.

The name comes from the German "block-haus", given in the 19th century by an Austrian military commander stationed on the summit with a platoon of soldiers. Near the top, at the foot of Monte Cavallo, the Tavola dei Briganti bears an inscription carved around 1867 by members of the Banda della Maiella, including Croce Di Tola and Fabiano Marcucci, known as Primiano.

Hiking to the summit requires moderate mountain walking experience and there is a mountain shelter, Rifugio Marcello Di Marco, along the way for breaks and rest. The best time to visit is from May to October when the trails are snow and ice-free.

Near the summit, at the foot of Monte Cavallo, a rock known as the Tavola dei Briganti carries an inscription carved around 1867 by members of the Banda della Maiella, the brigand band led by figures such as Croce Di Tola and Domenico Di Sciascio. The stone records the outlaws who hid in these mountains after unification.