Forte Albertino
| Forte Albertino | |
|---|---|
Forte di Vinadio (Italian) | |
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| General information | |
| Type | Fort |
| Architectural style | Military |
| Town or city | Vinadio, Piedmont |
| Country | Italy |
| Completed | 1847 |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Forte Albertino (also Forte di Vinadio) is an alpine fortress in Vinadio, Piedmont, northern Italy, located outside the town in the Stura di Demonte Valley.[1][2] It is now used as a museum.[3]
History
[edit]Forte Albertino was commissioned in 1834 by Charles Albert of Savoy and, following a brief reprieve between 1837 and 1839, finished in 1847.[1] The fort is placed strategically close to the French border and the Maddalena Pass, giving Italian troops control of who entered the country.[3] An estimated 4,000 men helped erect the fort.[3] Its walls have a length of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft), with a total of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) internal paths on three levels: the Upper Front, the Attack Front, and the Lower Front.[4][3] The Upper and Lower Fronts consist of casements while the Attack Front had a ravelin and was the only point of access for communication with the outside world.[3] This included communication with the town, Porta Francia, and the Pass.[3]
The fort was never properly outfitted for war and was used as a prison for captured Garibaldini during the Battle of Aspromonte.[3] After the dawn of the 20th century, Forte Albertino became a barracks, then an artillery warehouse.[3] It was later bombed by the Allies during World War II and abandoned.[3] It has since then been renovated and is now used as a museum.[3]
Permanent exhibitions
[edit]- Montagna in Movimento: Multimedia installations allow visitors to see the development, natural and otherwise, that built up Alps civilizations.[1] The strategic value of the fort's location as well as ongoing environmental conservation and biodiversity efforts are highlighted.[3]
- Messaggeri Alati: Located at Porta Neraissa, this exhibition details the history of the important military dovecote, which remained until 1944.[1][3]
- Vinadio Virtual Reality: Introduced in 2017, the virtual reality exhibit gives visitors two options of fort exploration: the Vollo libero sul forte, a flight simulator, and Giallo Forte, a spy game.[1][3]
- Mammamia che Forte!: This exhibition has offered a wide range of children's programming since its introduction in 2019.[1][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "FORTE ALBERTINO" (in Italian). Abbonamento Musei. n.d. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- ^ "Forte Albertino della Valle Stura" (in Italian). Terres Monviso. 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Cuneo: Forte Albertino di Vinadio" (in Italian). Castelli Aperti. n.d. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- ^ "FORTE ALBERTINO DI VINADIO" (in Italian). Turismo Torino. n.d. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- ^ Marcon, Elena (2020-08-09). "Mini guida dei musei per bambini a Cuneo" (in Italian). VViaggiapiccoli Piemonte. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
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