notes for hikers Best time of the year to hike on the Carsic highland. Hiking trips on the former bat- 82 (Monfalcone – Doberdò Lake) tlefields should be taken during fall season or even in the winter time because the Duration of the trip: 1.30 hour. Restore areas in Monfalcone, Doberdò Lake and poor vegetation allows an easier viability of the area and facilitates the detecting Gradina Visitor Centre (Doberdò del Lago) of artifacts and remains, often placed out of marked trails. From Monfalcone climb the steep way up to the Rock until crossing trail 84, turn Suggested clothing. Mountain hiking clothes are advisable and it is important to left to go down to trail 81, then go up again to the saddle between Mount Cosich pay particular attention to the shoes. They must be solid and capable of protecting and Debeli to finally descent to Doberdò lake. the ankles. Although the Carsic highland is not dangerous, it is an uneven, rocky 83 (Monfalcone – Lisert) soil, therefore it is important to walk carefully, especially while visiting historical Duration of the trip: 1 hour. Restore ares in Monfalcone. military remains. From Monfalcone climb up Salita Mocenigo and follow the dirt road below the sides Maps (sold in the best bookshops) ��������������������Carso triestino gori�z�����������������iano e sloveno n.��02������, Tran�- of hill 85 (Toti hill) to the crossroad of Sablici, from where we descent to the railway salpina E., (1:25.000) bridge of Lisert (Arches). Equipment 84 (Selz – Monfalcone) A small backpack to keep the windbreaker and some warm extra clothes is enough. Duration of the trip: 2.00 hours. Restore areas in Selz and in Monfalcone. Do not forget your camera. Starting from state road 305 towards Selz, reach the trail following the remains of CAI (Italian Alpine Club) trailmarks the trenches, where there are no more households. Reach the Rock and then, go 81 (Selz – Lisert) back to Monfalcone while meeting trails 99, 111, 121 and finally the underpass Duration of the trip: 1.30 hour. Restore areas in Selz and in the Visitor Centre of of via del Carso. Pietrarossa Lake. Starting from state road 305 towards Selz, follow the direction leading to the lakes (Laghi) and meeting first the Northern side of Pietrarossa lake, then the Eastern sides of hill 121, in order to reach the railway bridge of Lisert (Arches). Design, graphics, texts and translation: UO Stamperia Comunale, CdC Valorizzazione itinerari storici Photos: Consorzio culturale del monfalconese, Marco Mantini, Silvo Stok

Ambito Tematico 1 - Ridotta di quota 121 Pietrarossa lake Pietrarossa MONFALCONE visitor center lake Ambito Tematico 2 - Trincea e dolina della selletta di quota 85 Ambito Tematico 3 - Trincea Joffre - Grotta Vergine

Zona Monumentale di quota 85 (quota E.Toti)

Itinerario del Monte Debeli Zochet, Gradiscata, Forcate Itinerario della Rocca Itinerario delle quote 85 e 121 Itinerario del lago di Pietrarossa, di quota 77 e di Sablici

Sottopasso di via del Carso Sottopasso di Salita Moncenigo Sottopasso di Salita alla Rocca Piazzale d’accesso al Centro Visite del Lago di Pietrarossa

Percorsi di visita principali Altri percorsi di visita Railway Station

Pannelli illustrativi Parcheggi

Andamento della Linea trincerata italiana antecedente al 12 agosto 1916. Andamento della Linea difensiva austro-ungarica antecedente al 12 agosto 1916. M MUSEUMOPEN GREAT WAR e n o c l a f n o Provincia diGorizia diMonfalcone How to reach the open museum Thematic Areas Main entrance: Via del Carso, coming from : 1- Hi l l 121 3 - “Virgin”cave Start from via Colombo, follow via Romana until Tommaseo Of all Monfalcone heights, hill 121 After the initial operations carried out square (parking). Walk up via del Carso following the indica- is the highest, towering above the in the summer of 1915, this network tions to the park town and on the surrounding terri- became a back line trenched system. Via del Carso coming from the freeway A4 tory, stretching towards the Slov- Its main purpose was to allow the (Venice-Trieste): enian Carso and the sea. It used access to the higher line and to hill Coming from either direction, take the Monfalcone est exit to be an Austrian stronghold and, 98. The position of the trench was and reach via Colombo, follow via Romana until Tommaseo together with hill 85, proved to be also used against possible enemy incursions, in case the lines were square (parking). Walk up via del Carso following the indica- the hardest obstacle for the Italian troops for over one year (1915- taken by the Austrians, especially the tions to the park 1916). The complicated trench line between the “Tamburo” and hill Salita Mocenigo coming from downtown: system, enriched with machinegun 104, that went all the way down to From Piazza della Repubblica (main square) go down Corso pits and caves, was built by the hill 93 and to the cave. del Popolo and reach Salita Mocenigo on the left following the Italians in different phases, starting The craftwork was reinforced sev- indications to the park on the pre-existing Austrian lines. eral times and nowadays it is still From August 1916 it functioned well kept. Its main feature is that it as the Italian front line, facing is linked to two natural caves, that the Austrian’s hill 77 (Sablici) were eventually turned to military and the lines of Pietrarossa lake. use. The “Virgin Cave” especially Informative material is available at: represents a typical example of a URP Monfalcone The several war graffiti left by the natural cavity exploited for military Via S. Ambrogio, 12 - 34074 Monfalcone (GO) soldiers in this area are extremely use during the Great War. This is a Monday-Friday interesting. very common feature on the Carso. 9.00 – 12.00 - Monday and Wednesday also 15.30 - 17.30 The “Virgin Cave” is now accessible Tel.: +39 0481 494280 to tourists thanks to the work of the www.comune.monfalcone.go.it “Amici del Fante” Monfalcone Spe- [email protected] leological Group. Inside the cave the Ufficio IAT di space was organised into terraces guided hikes into the Great War sites 2 - Sa d d l e Hi l l 85 linked by stairs and two more open- Via III Armata 54 34070 Fogliano di Redipuglia (GO) ings were dug in corrispondence of Monday-Friday Its main feature is the trench dug the trench. 9.30 - 12.30 / 15.30 - 18.30 deeply into the Carso rocks and re- Saturday “T. Col. Cuzzi” Trench 9.30 - 12.30 inforced by concrete structures built This tract of the trench, restored Tel.+39 0481 489139 Cell. +39 346 176913 by the Italians in the August of 1916 by the Monfalcone A.N.A. (National www.prolocofoglianoredipuglia.it on previous Austrian digging. It can Alpine Association), is a part of the [email protected] main Italian line that followed the be reached by hill 85 (“Enrico Toti town’s heights towards east and to Gruppo Speleologico Monfalconese “Amici del Fante” hill”), where the monumental area, hill 104 of the “Tamburo”. This was guided tours of the Virgin Cave and the Rocca Museum enriched by several decorative and also one of the strongholds in the Via Valentinis 134 34074 Monfalcone (GO) memorial stones, honors not only Italian defensive system: there still Tel.+39 0481 40014 is a small canyon on the north side www.museomonfalcone.it the memory of the above mentioned that allowed an easy access to the [email protected] infantryman, but many other fallen advanced lines and another canyon, soldiers and divisions that fought on the south side (Maple canyon), Other sites of interest: that acted as a sheltered corridor there during the Great War. to allow a direct passage from the in Venezia Giulia railway to the lines. This canyon www.itinerarigrandeguerra.it also hosted an authentic “war vil- Ecomuseo Territori. Genti e memorie tra Carso e Isonzo lage”. The trench is also linked to www.territori.it the defensive back line that cuts Fondazione Le vie della pace dell’Alto Isonzo through hill 98 and runs down to the www.potimiruvposocju.si/en railway station: the Joffre Trench.