Monte Piano

More than any other construction work carried out during the Great War, the military roads changed the landscape and the lives of the inhabitants of the Vicentine Alps by facilitating the connection of valleys and villages at high altitudes.
This network of roads and the military paths built to serve the “Ortogonale 1” strategic line represent a valuable heritage, contributing to the development of economy and tourism in the mountains.

The roads cutting through the Ortogonale 1 strategic line, such as the Malo – Mt. Piano – Mt. Pulgo – Cereda carriage road, enabled the army to withdraw in an orderly way towards the Lessinia area and the Mincio – Po defensive line, in the event of collapse of the eastern front. The secondary road system, instead, was a communication one, and played mainly logistic functions.

The road system was designed by the Military Engineer Corps, which employed soldiers of the Sappers and Miners units, of the Centurie Lavoratori (workers centuries) belonging to the militia forces of the area, as well as local women, young people and men who were not called to arms.
The military roads were of three categories:

Over 3 mt. wide, with a pendency of 10% maximum and a roadbed suitable for heavy traffic, these transport roads were especially designed for the transit of trucks.

2.5 to 3 mt. wide, with a pendency of 10% maximum, 6 mt. minimum bend radius and an artificial roadbed, the carriage roads were built for the transit of motor vehicles and carriages.

The whole military road system presented distinctive technical features that make it well recognizable to this day, and can be observed in the Mt. Piano – Mt. Pulgo road:

• Fixed width and pendency
• Dry-stone walls and drains. Paved water gutters
• Embankment curbs in square-cut stone
• Rough stone posts
• Cave shelters along the route, with traces of mine holes
• Covered routes, hidden from enemy view and fire
• Blast-holes and in-cave deposits of explosive material