Route of the Pinzano Bridge and the Artillery Battery on Col Colàt

Easy | 3 hrs

The starting point for the Itinerario del Ponte di Pinzano e la batteria del Col Colàt is in Tabine. From there, go towards the Pinzano bridge, where there is a memorial plaque dedicated to Teodoro Moggio and the last Italian soldiers of the Bologna Brigade who after the breakthrough at Kobarid prevented the Austro-Hungarian and German soldiers from crossing the Tagliamento. When the Italian Supreme Command ordered the blasting of bridges over the Tagliamento, the Pinzano bridge was also destroyed on 1 November 1917. The soldiers of the Bologna Brigade were left on the left bank of the river and were captured by the enemy.
After you cross the bridge, you will see a toll station carved into the rock, where the bridge toll was collected after the opening of the bridge in 1906. On the other side of the road, there is a metal-roofed machine gun emplacement made in the early 20^th century.
Continue along the asphalt road to the next bridge, before which a track branches off to the right, leading to the unfinished German Charnel House on Colle Pion. The idea to build a charnel house where German soldiers who fell in the Battle of Tagliamento on 1 November 1917 should be buried, emerged in 1937. Germany bought a plot of land from Italy and the project was managed by Robert Tischler. Two years later, 60 workers from Veneto under the Austrian foreman began to build the monumental facility. The works went on until 1944, when the already built part of the charnel house was used for the defence of the bridge in Pinzano. As a result, the charnel house was bombed several times, and eventually abandoned. Today, the surroundings are well arranged. After a visit to the charnel house, return to the main road and continue along the asphalt road to Pinzano al Tagliamento. Once there, turn right to Via Castello. After 200 metres, a mule track on the left side leads to a platform, where minor buildings used to stand (ammunition depots). Continue along the footpath and in a few minutes you will reach the 280 metres high Col Colàt. Just like on the hill Ragogna, here too 149 mm guns were emplaced in 1909. Here used to be pillboxes and an underground ammunition (gun shells) depot in several levels connected by a freight elevator.
You return to the starting point along the same trail. On return, it is recommended that you visit the WW1 museum Museo della Grande Guerra di Ragogna.

Photos: PromoTurismoFVG

Guided Tour Programme:

Route of the Pinzano Bridge and the Artillery Battery on Col Colàt