Memories of War: Cinque Torri ("Five Towers")

Cinque Torri (Fünf Türme in German, meaning "Five Towers" in both languages) are a small group made up of five Dolomite rocky pinnacles that rise from wavy grasslands at the altitude of about 2,100 to 2,200 meters, between the valley of Ampezzo and Val Badia. The highest of the towers, the Torre Grande, reaches the height of 2,361 meters (7,746 ft).

During World War I, the Cinque Torri were in territory controlled by the Italian forces; in the early months of the war they were a base for Italian patrols sent to the nearby Passo Falzarego and the Tofane area, while later, with the stabilization of the front and the occupation of more advanced positions, the area around these five pinnacles became safe enough that it could be turned into an important second line center, a site for logistic depots and location of the field artillery of the sector (75, 149 and 210 mm guns and howitzers). Cinque Torri were fortified with covered trenches, observation posts, barracks, depots, ammunition depots, gun emplacements and artificial caves. The nearby Cinque Torri mountain hut became the headquarters of the command of the Reggio Brigade (45th and 46th Infantry Regiment); the mountain artillery command was located right in the Cinque Torri.

Initially, in 1915, the artillery placed at the Cinque Torri consisted of eight 75 mm guns; in 1916 two 149 mm cast iron howitzers were added. In April 1916, at the time of the conquest of the Col di Lana, they artillery in the Cinque Torri consisted of the first and fifth battery of the 1st Field Artillery Regiment as well as two 210 mm howitzers of the 116th Battery. Other batteries were stationed on nearby Mount Nuvolau.

Their position, with a wide view on the mountains where the first line was located, made the Cinque Torri a perfect observation point on the Austro-Hungarian lines, that could be thus targeted by the artillery placed there. In June 1916 the Austro-Hungarians placed on the Castelletto, a spur of the Tofana di Rozes, three mountain guns to counter the Italian artillery of the Cinque Torri. Even on the Lagazuoi the Austrians brought two 75 mm guns that dueled with the Italian artillery at the Cinque Torri.

While the Cinque Torri themselves were never directly affected by the fighting, artillery placed here played a major role in the clashes fought on the nearby hard-fought mountains: the Tofane, Castelletto, Lagazuoi, Sass de Stria, Col dei Bos, Val Costeana. On more than one occasion, their fire was instrumental in saving Italian troops caught in dangerous situations.

Already on 11 June 1915, less than a month Italy's entry into war, Lance Corporal Filippo Chiappolone was awarded the Bronze Medal for Valor for destroying, with the second shot of his gun, an enemy artillery piece; Sergeant Felice Speroni received the same award for destroying after a few shots with an Austro-Hungarian gun. Both were serving in the Captain Vittorio Pozzetti's battery; Pozzetti himself went, that same day, through remarkable vicissitudes: buried by the collapse of his own observatory, hit and destroyed by an Austrian-Hungarian cannon, he emerged unscathed and continued to direct the fire of his guns, with the above-mentioned results. He was awarded the Silver Medal.

On 31 July 1915, Lieutenant Aldo Binetti of the 17th Artillery Regiment was killed by a piece of shrapnel while directing the fire of his gun.

In the same period, the artillery of the Cinque Torri contributed to the destruction of the Fort Tre Sassi near Valparola Pass.

Due to their relatively sheltered position (but sometimes, as seen above, enemy shells scored hits even there, causing damage and casualties), during the war the Cinque Torri were visited by several personalities, including, on several occasions, the king.

Like the rest of the Dolomites front, the Cinque Torri were abandoned by the Italian troops with the retreat that followed the defeat of Caporetto. The evacuation order was given on Oct. 30, 1917; the guns were disassembled and taken away by the retreating troops.

Between 1998 and the early 2000s, the whole Cinque Torri area has been turned into an open-air museum of the Great War; the area can be reached on foot (an hour and a half from the road below) or by chairlift, and from here it is possible visit the rebuilt trenches, barracks and positions as they appeared in 1915-1917. The explanatory signs are in Italian, German and English.

A reconstructed covered trench.

The Cinque Torri, with trenches visible.

The cableway and the Scoiattoli mountain hut can be seen. In the background, Mount Averau (2,648 m).

Reconstruction of an Italian 75 mm gun position.

Reconstructed scene inside a shelter.

Gun emplacement.

Panorama towards the mountains where once ran the frontline: from left to right, Sass de Stria (2,477 m), Piccolo Lagazuoi (2,778 m), Cima Falzarego (2, 563 m), Grande Lagazuoi (2,884 m), Col dei Bos (2,559 m), Cime Fanis (2,989 m).

Reconstructed Italian positions.

Reconstructed Italian trench.

Left to right: Settsass (2,571 m), Sass de Stria (2,477 m), Piccolo Lagazuoi (2,778 m), Cima Falzarego (2, 563 m), Grande Lagazuoi (2,884 m), Col dei Bos (2,559 m), Cime Fanis (2,989 m), Tofana di Rozes (3,225 m, hooded in clouds).