The Monte Bondone group separates the Adige Valley from the Laghi Valley, overlooking the city of Trento. At its center lies the Viote Plateau, surrounded by the main peaks: Palon and the so-called Three Peaks of Monte Bondone – Cornetto, Dos d’Abramo, and Cima Verde. Today the mountain is a tourist area offering accommodations, ski slopes, and walks through forests and meadows.
In the 19th century, the Candriai Battery and Mandolin Blockhouse controlled the northern side of the mountain. At the beginning of the 20th century, after the construction of the military road from Trento to Monte Bondone, the Viote barracks complex and the Palon stronghold were built. At the outbreak of the war, a new trench system climbed the Bondone, with new underground and reinforced concrete works controlling the western side of the Fortress. A more advanced defensive line extended between Monte Rosta and Cima Cornetto, the highest point of the defense at 2,179 meters.
Suggested itineraries:
- Castelar de la Groa
- Tour of the Three Peaks of Monte Bondone
The Fortifications
Candriai Battery
Construction period: 1879–1880
Type: battery
Ownership: public
Open to the public: no
Condition: traces
Disarmed: 1915 and demolished after the war
Mandolin Blockhouse
Construction period: 1879–1880
Type: blockhouse
Ownership: public
Open to the public: no
Condition: completely demolished; a new building was erected on the site
Disarmed: 1915 and demolished after the war
