Passo Palade Bunker

From 1927, the Passo delle Palade mountain pass (1,518 m a.s.l.) was the border between South Tyrol and the Trentino for two decades, before the Upper Val di Non was connected to South Tyrol and the border was moved a little further south to the village of San Felice. Here in the area of Merano and surroundings, in the Fourties the Italian Army erected one of the largest bunker systems of South Tyrol as part of the Alpine Wall. However, the impressive construction was never completed and never came into operation. This 1.5 km long Passo Palade Bunker today is a museum and can be partly visited since 2010.

The Gampen Gallery at the beginning gives an interesting insight into the history and the Passo Palade Road. The road, built between 1935 and 1939, is a masterpiece of engineering and still today an important connecting road and popular panorama road. On the 10th of June, 1939, it was opened to traffic. The illuminated black-and-white images in the dark tunnel create a very special atmosphere. The first section is followed by the largest mineral exhibition of South Tyrol in one of the long underground galleries: 40 showcases amidst the rocks show 2,500 finds collected by the mineral collector Toni Kiem from all over Europe.

By the way: In Dobbiaco, in the Upper Val Pusteria, there is also a Bunker Museum housed in a bunker of the Alpine Wall. Another one is located in the Val Passiria valley and houses the Bunker Mooseum as well as the Tessa Nature Park-Info Point. And how to reach the Passo Palade Bunker - "Gampen Bunker" in German, "Bunker di Passo Palade" in Italian? The Passo Palade Road leads from Tesimo up to the top of the pass. At the bunker, located about 100 m after the sign on the left, there are parking facillities and a bus stop (line no. 246 Lana - San Felice).