The Artillery battery of Sella Predil was designed and built by the expert Austro-Hungarian engineers at the end of the nineteenth century, between 1895 and 1897. Its location on the eastern shore of the small Predil Lake, allowed controlling the southern positions towards the Italian border along the valley stretching to Sella Nevea. However, at the end of May 1915, the weaponry of this battery was moved to a new one built inside the mountain.
Unlike other forts in this area (repeatedly hit by Italian bombing), the battery of Sella Predil is still in good conditions and can be partially visited. From the front yard, you can access a first section consisting of a surveillance room, blockhouse for officers, kitchen, a guard post and an infirmary. Opposite, you can see some armoured blockhouses and two buildings that were used as warehouses for food.
Another warehouse to store food and ammo was located underground along with the water tank, the water treatment plant and the septic tank. On the upper floor instead, you can see the lookouts, probably used also during WW II. The battery was provided with three 120 mm guns with a 7km shooting range and two 8 mm machine-guns. There were also 25 carriages to support and move guns around.
USEFUL INFORMATION
How to get there: from Highway A23, take the exit to Tarvisio and head to the town centre; then, take road SS54 towards Cave del Predil. Once you have crossed the latter, continue along provincial road SP76 up to the lake. At the junction, turn left towards Slovenia and continue for about two and a half kilometres, not far from the border with Slovenia.
Difficulty level: suitable for tourists
Duration: about 1 hour
Equipment: trekking shoes (dirt road), long trousers, water supply, a torch
