Route of the Fortified Complex on Mt. Ragogna

Medium | 3‒5 hrs

After the breakthrough at Kobarid and the advance of the Austro-Hungarian and German armies towards the Tagliamento River, the Italian Army still managed to repel for some time the advancing enemy from crossing the bridges over the Tagliamento. Two bridges in the Ragogna area, Cornino and Pinzano, were strategically important, and between them on the left bank of the Tagliamento, the hill Ragogna, with 512 metres of height, began to be fortified by the Italians as early as 1909 due to its strategic location. Today, a groomed footpath Itinerario del complesso fortificato del Monte di Ragogna runs along the ridge.
The trail ascends to the permanent gun positions of Ragogna Bassa from where the Italian Army controlled the crossing of the Tagliamento in the zone of the Pinzano bridge. Guns of 149 mm calibre were emplaced here, while underground, there were the ammunition depot and the shelter.
The path ascends along the ridge to the top, and not far away are the permanent gun positions of Ragogna Alta and Forte del Cavallino fort. A concrete building along the ridge served as a depot for ammunition and weapons. In front of it, 149 mm calibre guns were emplaced to protect the zone of the Cornino bridge. A hundred metres further eastwards are the fortified positions that defended the southeast slope in the direction of San Daniele del Friuli. The entire complex of Ragogna Alta is surrounded by a double line of trenches. After the fortified trenches you reach the Church of St. John the Hermit (San Giovanni Eremita) and two fortified positions, Cret dal Louf and Spice.
Before concluding the tour, it is worth stopping in the WW1 museum Museo della Grande Guerra di Ragogna.

Photos: (1) PromoTurismoFVG; (2‒4) Paolo da Pozzo, PromoTurismoFVG; (5) Marco Pascoli