Outline of the place:
The defensive strategy of the Kingdom of Italy since 1866 always considered Cadore fundamental, so first the entrenched camp of Pieve di Cadore was built and then its logical extension, the Cadore-Maè Fortress. Starting from the first positions on the Oltrepiave hills (Col Rive, Tagliardo Col, Col Ciampon) it was intended to control Treponti, at the confluence of the Piave and Ansiei, passing through the great forts of the late 1800s in the area of Pieve di Cadore (Monte Ricco, Batteria Castello, Col Vaccher) and finally reaching the ambitious armed installations of the early 1900s (Col Piccolo, Monte Tudaio, Col Vidal, Monte Miaron, Pian dell'Antro, Monte Rite). It can be said that every part of Cadore had prepared for its own war.

 

This effort to build fortifications was accompanied by a range of additional works that involved roads and trails, observation posts and shelters over the whole area between Pelmo and Peralba, often involving the local population in the work.

 

The progress of operations made this system almost useless since very little was used in the days after Caporetto, and it was partially destroyed by the Austrians in October 1918. Today almost all the works, some of them the subject of major restoration and improvements, are presented as destinations along trails of varying difficulty in a natural and attractive setting. They are an exceptional cross section of architecture, strategy and tactics representing the evolution of Italian fortification science over two centuries.



GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION and AREA BOUNDARY
The area presenting by fortifications built in preparation for the conflict especially includes the districts of Auronzo, Santo Stefano, Vigo, Lorenzago, Lozzo, Pieve, Valle, Perarolo, Cibiana and Vodo di Cadore. However, the nerve centers of the defensive strategy changed over 50 years: if the first phase was mainly concerned with the confluence of the Piave and Ansiei (Treponti) for control of the sources from Misurina, the Comelico and the area of Tai di Cadore to block access from the Mauria pass and Cortina, they were then catalyzed with the modern armored works on high-altitude emplacements in Oltrepiave, Centro Cadore and Val Boite. In the latter area there are significant historic and military implications for the district of Zoppè di Cadore and all of Zoldano concerning the position at Monte Rite above Forcella Cibiana.