La "muralla xinesa" alpina / The Alpine "Chinese Wall"
IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE
La Fortezza di Fenestrelle deu ser una de les fortificacions continues més grans del món, com a minim d'Europa. I a sobre situada en un terreny tant abrupte com els Alps piamontesos. Es troba a Val Cluson, una de les valls occitanes del Piamont (Val Chissone en italià).
La historia va començar el 1694, amb la construcció per part dels francesos de Fort Mutin, ara totalment en ruines, a la riba dreta del Chisone, al actual Piemont. Els saboiards l'assaltaren amb exit el 1708 i posteriorment tota la Val Chissone fou cedida als saboiards/piamontesos el 1713 (pel maleït tractat d'Utrech). Aquests decidiren complementar Fort Mutin amb un altre fortificació més gran a la riba esquerra del riu, dominant el poble de Fenestrelle (Finistrelas en occità). Es construí entre 1728-1793, i de nou entre 1836 i 1850, format per 3 nuclis principals, Forte San Carlo, Forte Tre Denti i Forte della Valle, units entre ells per una muralla molt llarga. De fet, s'anomena "la muralla xinesa dels Alps" a aquest fort per alguna raó. Les defenses tenen una llargada de més de tres quilometres i amb un desnivell de 635 metres. Una escala coberta recorre tota la llargada de la fortificació, i inclou quasi 4000 graons.
Sembla un "lloc comú", pero com moltes altres obres mastodontiques de defensa, Fenestrelle MAI va veure cap combat rellevant, però si va servir com a presó per a disidents politics. La mateixa historia que a llocs com San Ferran, a Figueres, o La Mola, a Menorca.
it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forte_di_Fenestrelle#Descrizione
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHWYwStUmg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrWxWRXoAHc
===================================
The Fortezza di Fenestrelle must be one of the largest continuous fortifications in the world, at least in Europe. And on top of that, it is located in a terrain as steep as the Piedmontese Alps.
The story began in 1694, with the construction by the French of Fort Mutin, now completely in ruins, on the right bank of the Chisone river, in present-day Piedmont. The Savoyards successfully stormed it in 1708 and later the entire Val Chissone was ceded to the Savoyards/Piedmontese in 1713 (Treaty of Utrecht). They decided to complement Fort Mutin with another larger fortification on the left bank of the river, dominating the town of Fenestrelle. It was built between 1728-1793, and again between 1836 and 1850, made up of 3 main centres, Forte San Carlo, Forte Tre Denti and Forte della Valle, joined together by a very long wall. In fact, this fort is called the "Chinese Wall of the Alps" for a reason. The defenses have a length of more than three kilometers and a height difference of 635 meters. A covered staircase runs the entire length of the fortification, and includes almost 4000 steps.
It seems like a "common place", but like many other defense mammoths, Fenestrelle NEVER saw any relevant combat, but instead served as a prison for political dissidents. The same story as in places like San Ferran, in Figueres (Catalonia), or La Mola, in Menorca.
it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forte_di_Fenestrelle#Descrizione
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHWYwStUmg
La "muralla xinesa" alpina / The Alpine "Chinese Wall"
IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE
La Fortezza di Fenestrelle deu ser una de les fortificacions continues més grans del món, com a minim d'Europa. I a sobre situada en un terreny tant abrupte com els Alps piamontesos. Es troba a Val Cluson, una de les valls occitanes del Piamont (Val Chissone en italià).
La historia va començar el 1694, amb la construcció per part dels francesos de Fort Mutin, ara totalment en ruines, a la riba dreta del Chisone, al actual Piemont. Els saboiards l'assaltaren amb exit el 1708 i posteriorment tota la Val Chissone fou cedida als saboiards/piamontesos el 1713 (pel maleït tractat d'Utrech). Aquests decidiren complementar Fort Mutin amb un altre fortificació més gran a la riba esquerra del riu, dominant el poble de Fenestrelle (Finistrelas en occità). Es construí entre 1728-1793, i de nou entre 1836 i 1850, format per 3 nuclis principals, Forte San Carlo, Forte Tre Denti i Forte della Valle, units entre ells per una muralla molt llarga. De fet, s'anomena "la muralla xinesa dels Alps" a aquest fort per alguna raó. Les defenses tenen una llargada de més de tres quilometres i amb un desnivell de 635 metres. Una escala coberta recorre tota la llargada de la fortificació, i inclou quasi 4000 graons.
Sembla un "lloc comú", pero com moltes altres obres mastodontiques de defensa, Fenestrelle MAI va veure cap combat rellevant, però si va servir com a presó per a disidents politics. La mateixa historia que a llocs com San Ferran, a Figueres, o La Mola, a Menorca.
it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forte_di_Fenestrelle#Descrizione
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHWYwStUmg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrWxWRXoAHc
===================================
The Fortezza di Fenestrelle must be one of the largest continuous fortifications in the world, at least in Europe. And on top of that, it is located in a terrain as steep as the Piedmontese Alps.
The story began in 1694, with the construction by the French of Fort Mutin, now completely in ruins, on the right bank of the Chisone river, in present-day Piedmont. The Savoyards successfully stormed it in 1708 and later the entire Val Chissone was ceded to the Savoyards/Piedmontese in 1713 (Treaty of Utrecht). They decided to complement Fort Mutin with another larger fortification on the left bank of the river, dominating the town of Fenestrelle. It was built between 1728-1793, and again between 1836 and 1850, made up of 3 main centres, Forte San Carlo, Forte Tre Denti and Forte della Valle, joined together by a very long wall. In fact, this fort is called the "Chinese Wall of the Alps" for a reason. The defenses have a length of more than three kilometers and a height difference of 635 meters. A covered staircase runs the entire length of the fortification, and includes almost 4000 steps.
It seems like a "common place", but like many other defense mammoths, Fenestrelle NEVER saw any relevant combat, but instead served as a prison for political dissidents. The same story as in places like San Ferran, in Figueres (Catalonia), or La Mola, in Menorca.
it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forte_di_Fenestrelle#Descrizione
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHWYwStUmg