Fort Montecchio-Lusardi is a military

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

situated in

Colico Colico (Comasco, Comasque: or ; ) is a town and comune in the province of Lecco, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated on the northern arm of Lake Como, where the river Adda (river), Adda enters the lake. Colico is the largest town i ...

, in the

province of Lecco The province of Lecco (; Lecchese: ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecco. As of 2017, the province had a population of 337,211 on a surface of divided into 85 ''comuni'' (: ''com ...

, northern Italy. It was built between 1911 and 1914. It is the only Italian fort from

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

which has been preserved intact with its original weapons. The main function of the fort was to control the roads of Spluga, Maloja and

Stelvio Stelvio may refer to * Stelvio, the Italian name for the municipality of Stilfs in South Tyrol * Stelvio (ski course), a downhill ski course in Bormio, Italy * Stelvio Pass, a mountain pass in Italy * Stelvio National Park, a national park of I ...

, in case the

Central Powers The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,; ; , ; were one of the two main coalitions that fought in World War I (1914–1918). It consisted of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulga ...

decided to invade northern Italy, violating the neutrality of

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. The fort was one of the strongholds in a complex barrier system which extended up to Monte Legnone, though it remained inactive throughout the World War. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the fort also never entered a major action: the only gunshots were fired after the fort was occupied by the partisans, at a German column that marched along the opposite bank of the lake. However, in 1944/1945, the fort figured in the Italian fascist regime’s planning for a ''

Ridotto Alpino Repubblicano The Valtellina Redoubt or, officially, in () or ''RAR'', was the intended final stronghold or redoubt of the Italian fascist regime of Benito Mussolini at the end of World War II in Europe. It was to be based in the Valtellina, a valley in the ...

'', or Alpine

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...

in the

Valtellina Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; (); or ; ; ) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Today it is known for its ski centre, hot spring spas, bresa ...

, to make a last stand against the

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...

advance. The fort was later used as a weapons depot. Attractions in the fort include four French 149 mm guns, with a range of 14 km, each rotating inside a cast-iron dome. The fort is divided into two parts: the lower area contains housing and powder magazines, and the upper part contains guns. The two areas are linked by a curved gallery.

References

Colico Forts in Italy Buildings and structures in Lombardy Buildings and structures completed in 1914 {{Italy-struct-stub

See also

References