Why You Need to See the Amazing Forte Fenestrelle Italy

Forte Fenestrelle is an absolutely amazing and mind boggling destination in Northern Italy.

I know.

You probably haven’t heard of it as it’s not very well known — which I find odd.

Because this is a really cool attraction in a gorgeous location and definitely worthy of a visit.

Let’s find out more about this under-visited historical site.

Where is Forte Fenestrelle?

Forte Fenestrelle is located in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy.

Specifically it is in the Val Chisone which is a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains.

The town of Fenestrelle is the closest town, hence the name.

It’s about 72km from the capital of Piedmont, Turin (Torino in Italiano), so it makes a great day trip if you are staying in or near this beautiful city.

Why is this fort so special?

Forte Fenestrelle is technically 3 forts, 3 redoubts (a temporary or supplementary fortification that is typically square or polygonal) plus 2 batteries.

But what makes this so unique is that Bertola designed this so all of the above is interconnected by a shell-proof covered stairway that is about 3km in length. 

So troops, artillery and equipment can move from place to place under cover protected and unseen by the enemy.

And, it is the only one of its kind — which surprises me.

How did others not think of this?

The other special feature of Forte Fenestrelle is its location up in the mountains. 

How they built this I don’t know.

What I do know is it took 122 years to complete it.

But it was worth it as it is extraordinary.

This fort is actually also the largest alpine fortification in Europe with,a surface area of 1,300,000 m².

Plus it sits at altitudes of 1100m to 1800m at the very top.

There are some 4000 steps throughout the Forte Fenestrelle as well.

Who needs a stairmaster when you have all these stairs?

This is one impressive fort.

Visiting Forte Fenestrelle

Because of the beautiful location in the base of the Italian Alps, the best time to visit Forte Fenestrelle is summer when you can take the full tour to the very top.

I visited in early May so my tour ended at Devil’s Lookout Post so I only saw about half of the fort.

But what I did experience was incredible.

I just would have liked to have seen all of it.

So I will go back.

If you do want to visit the entire fort, it is an all day tour of about 7 hours so do be prepared.

Also, tours are in Italian unless you have a sizable group for an English-speaking tour.

The other thing to note is that you must tour Forte Fenestrelle with a guide and you must CALL to make reservations. 

Cost for the tours depends on which tour (there are 3).

Prices run from €5-15/adult.

Even if you visit and have to take a tour in Italian, you will still get some of the information. 

I advise picking up a book so you can follow along a bit.  

You can arrive early to purchase one at the shop or even find something online to do a bit more research before you go.

I was given a book for free as the only English-speaking person on the tour and it was helpful for sure.

Final thoughts on this fabulous Italian site

I actually came across Forte Fenestrelle as I researched my Location Inspiration: A Journey Through Italy e-guide.

As soon as I began to read about it, I knew I wanted to include it in my guide and that I wanted to visit this off the tourist track site. 

It’s definitely not on the main tourist trail for a trip to Italy — at least not for Americans or even other English-speaking travelers. 

But WOW!

It should be, especially for lovers of military history.

As I mentioned earlier, I want to go back and be able to walk all the way to the top to see more of this structure and to get even more views.

Forte Fenestrelle is definitely one of the most impressive and awing sites I’ve come across in Italy.

Put it on your list!

Please note that Wander Your Way does not recommend travel at this time due to the current global health situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, many destinations and attractions found on this website will not be operating although some places have opened. Please stay up to date using official sources like the WHO and CDC. I do plan to continue to write about incredible destinations and to offer tips on travel to Europe, so that you will find some solace in these posts — so you dream about travel and learn about travel. This way when we can all travel again, you’ll be ready to go! For now, stay home (or close to home) and stay safe!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means I will earn a commission – at no extra cost to you — if you click on the link and purchase anything from these trusted companies. It helps Wander Your Way, a small business, stay in business. Thanks for your support!

Like it? Pin it!