Built by the Austro-Hungarian army between 1897 and 1901 at an elevation of 2,197 meters on the Valparola Pass, Tre Sassi Fort stands between Sass de Stria and Piccolo Lagazuoi. Positioned to block potential Italian troop advances from Val Boite and Val Cordevole toward Val Badia and Val Pusteria, it served as part of Subrayon V in the border fortification network. Modernized in 1910–1911, the fort was heavily damaged on July 5, 1915, when Italian 210 mm artillery rounds fired from upper Val Costeana, Mount Pore, and Larzonei struck the structure, killing three garrison members. Though rendered unusable and evacuated, Austro-Hungarian forces kept the ruins illuminated at night to serve as a decoy target.
What to see
Following restoration works between 2007 and 2008 funded by the Regole d'Ampezzo, the municipality of Cortina, and the European Union, the fort houses the Great War Museum in the Dolomites. Managed by the Lancedelli family, the exhibition features weapons, military equipment, and personal objects collected over 45 years. Highlights include a 305 mm shell fired by a Skoda mortar from Armentarola, found unexploded near Col dei Bois and later sectioned into three parts. The fort's defensive design originally accommodated 8 cm and 6 cm M.98 cannons alongside 36 embrasures facing Col di Lana, Sief, and the Falzarego Pass; today, a re-enactor in period uniform stands guard outside the entrance.
Visiting
The museum site extends beyond the main stone building into the surrounding terrain. Visitors can walk through reconstructed trenches and wooden barracks of the Edelweiss post, explore the Goiginger tunnel on Sass de Stria, and view the nearby Austro-Hungarian and German Alpenkorps military cemeteries. In winter, guided snowshoe tours follow the trench network to demonstrate how troops coped with extreme mountain weather.
Our editors' tip
After examining the artifacts inside, walk along the outdoor paths to explore the restored Edelweiss post barracks and the Goiginger tunnel on Sass de Stria for a direct view of the mountain defense lines.