The Roman Bridge and the Napoleonic Forts

Discover the remains of a time long gone

We come in peace: an encounter with history

You're on Lake Molveno to sunbathe on the beach, and that's when you see it. Beautiful, sturdy, strong, It's been through a lot. It's the Roman bridge of Mezzolago, an ancient stone bridge, surrounded by dense vegetation, located in what is known as the Strada dei Marocchi, an old Roman road.

From here you can take the path that takes you to the Forts: five different structures set along the "Doss del Corno" headland which were used to block the 18th century Napoleonic invasion and then reused during World War I as artillery depots and as barracks for one and a half infantry companies when the Austrian army decided to insert Molveno in the "Trento-Predazzo" defensive line. It was a strategic link in the chain because it allowed the Valle di Non (Non Valley) to be reached quickly by crossing the Valle dello Sporeggio (Sporeggio Valley).

The first trenches were dug on the Mezzolago hill in 1703, as part of the War of the Spanish Succession against the French from the south.

An interesting fact

 Although the defensive walls were erected by the Austrian army to repel the French army at the beginning of 1800, the forts are named after "Napoleon". Evidently any other Austrian rival was overshadowed by the name of this great leader.

Not to be missed

From the Roman bridge, on the opposite side of the lake in a narrow rocky gorge where you can admire the waterfall: formed as the Rio Ceda ends its course by plunging into the lake below.