Forte Montecchio Nord

Are you interested in recent history? On the eastern branch of Lake Como, in the town of Colico, you can visit a unique historical-military heritage that dates back to World War I.

Forte Montecchio Nord is located on the top of "Montecchio Nord" hill. It was built here more than a century ago and it is currently managed by the White War Museum in Adamello.

The Fort is open to the public, but accessible only with guided tours on an hourly basis. From mid-March to the first weekend of November, it is possible to visit it every Saturday and Sunday with the first tour starting at 10 a.m. and the last at 5 p.m. (in July and August the Fort is open every day). You can visit the Fort's website or social media to find the detailed and updated calendar. The ticket is 9 euros for adults and 5 euros for children between 6 and 17 years old. However, we strongly recommend purchasing the cumulative ticket that allows you to visit also Forte Fuentes (prices: 13 euros for adults and 6 euros for children).

The Fort can be reached by car up to its entrance where there is a free parking area reserved for visitors. You can also walk there since it is about 700 meters from Colico railway station.

Forte Montecchio is the best-preserved Fort of World War I in Europe. As such, the builidings are perfectly intact as well as the armaments.

The Fort was designed in 1911 and built very quickly, between 1912 and 1914. It was part of the large National Defense Plan which led to the construction, in a few years, of other 47 armored batteries strategically located along the Italian-Austrian border. An armored battery was a very complex construction that included different buildings necessary for the life of the soldiers and for the functioning of the armaments. It is interesting to learn during the tour that this fort had both water and electricity independence.

The Fort has very thick concrete walls and it is camouflaged with the sorroundings, a feature that makes it almost invisible.

The Fort can be divided into two main sections connected to each other through a long gallery. In the first part there are the infirmary, the soldiers' dormitory and the command room with an interesting wall map of the territory painted in 1939. Here you can understand why Colico area was particularly strategic, given its position at the crossroads of Valtellina and Valchiavenna. Therefore any enemy who managed to enter Italy through the Stelvio Pass or the Spluga Pass would have been spotted.

Thanks to its four Schneider 149S cannons, whose maximum range was 14 km, the Fort could destroy infrastructures, such as bridges and railways, to prevent the enemy advance.

Along the gallery you can see the powder magazine which is dug under 15 meters of rock, after that you enter the "Battery". Here, thanks to the explanations of the guides, you will be able to see up close the functioning of the cannon capable of firing shells with a maximum weight of 52 kg. You will also learn about the difficult working conditions of the team on duty in the cannon, such as the summer temperatures above 50 degrees and a extremely loud noise.

Finally, the roof will be a pleasant surprise as from here you can admire the four domes surrounded by an absolutely breathtaking scenery of the upper Lake Como and the mountains of Valtellina and Valchiavenna. You will have a few minutes to take unique photos before leaving Forte Montecchio.

If you are in Colico, don't miss a tour on this time machine ready to welcome on board anyone with the desire to take a memorable trip.