Strada of 52 Gallerie
| Road of 52 Tunnels, Road of the first Army | |
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| Strada delle 52 gallerie, Strada delle Prima Armata | |
Road of 52 Tunnels
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 Road of 52 Tunnels, Road of the first Army
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| Coordinates | 45°46′44″N 11°13′41″E / 45.779°N 11.228°E |
| Type | military mule |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Kingdom of Italy |
| Open to the public |
yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | February 6, 1917 |
| Built by | Kingdom of Italy |
| In use | Kingdom of Italy |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Strada delle 52 Gallerie | |
|---|---|
| Length | 6.5 km (4 mi) |
| Trailheads | Bocchetta Campiglia (1.216 m) Porte del Pasubio (1.928 m) |
| Use | Hiking |
| Elevation | |
| Elevation change | 750 m (2,460 ft) |
| Highest point | the end of 47th tunnel, 2.000 m (6.562 ft) |
| Lowest point | Bocchetta Campiglia, 1.216 m (3.99 ft) |
| Grade | 22 % |
| Hiking details | |
| Season | summer |
| Surface | rock |
| Right of way | military mule |
The Strada delle 52 Gallerie ("Road of 52 tunnels"), also known as the 52 Tunnel Road, or Strada della Prima Armata ("Road of the First Army") is a military mule road built during World War I on the Pasubio massif in Veneto, Italy.
The road winds between Bocchetta Campiglia (1,216 metres [3,990 ft]) and the Porte del Pasubio (1,934 metres [6,345 ft]) crossing the southern slope of the mountain with its spires, deep canyons and sheer rock faces, outside of the range of Austro-Hungarian artillery.
It is 6,555 metres (21,506 ft) long, of which 2,280 metres (7,480 ft) are divided into 52 tunnels excavated from the rock, each tunnel is numbered and characterized by a particular name. The minimum width of 2.20 metres (7.2 ft) was originally intended to allow the transit of two mules with their baggage.
The impressive Tunnel 20 is carved out of a rock tower, and to overcome the difference in height, twists around itself like a corkscrew. Tunnels 41 through 45 runs below the Passo Fontana d'ora (1,875 metres [6,152 ft]). On leaving the 47th, the highest point of the road (2,000 metres [6,562 ft]), there is a magnificent panorama.
A masterpiece of military engineering and boldness (it was produced by the 33rd Company of the Italian Army with the help of six hundred workers), considering the conditions and the time it was built, and the speed of execution. Work began on February 6, 1917, and was completed in November 1917.
Its implementation was of great strategic importance because it allowed communication and transfer of supplies from the base to the summit area of Mt. Pasubio. Key aspects of the road include year round access, located outside of enemy artillery range and accessible by mule. These were all problems with the similar road of Scarubbi which is only accessible with motorized vehicles, within the range of the Austrian guns, and only during the summer.
Mountain biking is strictly prohibited due to a number of fatal accidents.
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Wikipedia