Photo: Llorenzi, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Fortress / Tower, 1880
Forte Tenna
Building in "Tenna, Trentino", Italy
Tenna (TN), Trentino-South Tyrol
At a glance
- Type
- Fortress / Tower
- Period
- Modern era, 1880
- Coordinates
- 46°00′35″ N, 11°16′13″ E
History and description
Fort Tenna is an Austro-Hungarian fort built to guard the city of Trento. It is located on the hill that separates the lakes of Caldonazzo and Levico southeast of Trento. The fort was built between 1880-82, under the supervision of Julius Vogl. The building of Fort Tenna was part of a new strategy of building fortifications to reduce the amount of land sacrifice in case of invasion. The fort was supplied by a cable-car coming from the western shore of Lake Levico. Fort Tenna also controlled the access road lead towards Monterovere, which along the same road were the arguably the newest and best fortifications in the empire.
The fort has 4 levels, (1 of which is underground); on the ground floor there are service stations, while on the upper floor houses dormitories and gun ports. In particular, 4 gun ports towards Valsugana, 2 towards Caldonazzo, and 2 towards Fort Col De Le Bene. The fort was of the uncovered type, meaning it didn't have any camouflage or dirt covering the fort. At first the fort was built of masonry, this was later added to by adding a layer of concrete to the exterior. The fort was surrounded by a moat 6m wide and 4m deep, with a total length of 280m.
World War I
By the time the fort was finished, it was already inadequate. This is why when the war broke out, the decision was made to disarm the fort. The guns of the fort were removed and relocated to the nearby church of San Valentino. The guns were replaced by wooden dummy cannons in the fort; from this point on, the fort was only used as an observation post.
Post-war
The fort was sold in 1931 for 10,000 Lire, where it eventually made it into the hands of a local citizen who donated it to the local municipality of Tenna. Until recently the fort remained in a state of ruin. Since April 2009, renovations have been underway at the cost of 1,100,000 Euros. It opened to the public on August 18th, 2012. The floor was reconstructed with concrete, metal, and wood, in addition to a drainage system to remove any excess moisture. An urban park is planned to further integrate the fort into the local municipality.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Forte Tenna».
Timeline
- 1880Built
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
CaldonazzoTrain, nearest
1.4 km as the crow flies
Forte Tenna
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore fortresses and towers in Trentino-South Tyrol
Frequently asked questions
Where is Forte Tenna?
Forte Tenna is in Tenna, in the province of Trento (Trentino-South Tyrol), Italy. GPS coordinates: 46.00972, 11.27028.
How old is Forte Tenna?
Wikidata dates it to 1880.
What else is there to see near Forte Tenna?
Nearby you’ll find: Forte Colle delle Benne (1.5 km away), Forte Busa Grande (3.1 km away), Castel Selva (4 km away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 4 photos
- Forte Tenna2 — Llorenzi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Forte Tenna 01 — Syrio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tenna Artillerie — Stoabeissa, CC0
- Tenna Kopie — Stoabeissa, CC0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences