Walking through World War II historical sites in Badia Tedalda

In the footsteps of the past, along the Historical Park of the Gothic Line

We are immersed in our history but we do not always take the right amount of time to reflect on our memories. During a visit to the Historical Park of the Gothic Line in Badia Tedalda you can dedicate time to a living memory. Here, surrounded by lush greenery,  you can visit the sites that during the 20th century acted as the dismal theater for the armed clashes between Germans, the Allied troops and partisans in the Second World War. It’s a journey into our material and immaterial heritage, linked to the events of the past. The line is not only Gothic, it’s communal because it connects us to places, stories and people. The Historical Park expands throughout the mountains and is much more than an open-air museum. It’s a place for the soul as well as a historical place with many remnants of Gothic Line fortifications that are brought together in the Memory Room. Here autobiographical testaments are exhibited in an interactive museum space, with multimedia installations that recount local events and the clashes of the past.

• For trekking and mountain biking lovers, we recommend the Trail of Battle that leads from Piscina Nera to Monterano. The trail follows a ridge that, in June 1944, was the scene of a bloody armed conflict between the Germans and the partisans.
• The trail that leads from Badia Tedalda to Sasso di Cocchiola passes through one of the many fortified areas around Badia which acted as the headquarters of the German division. The trail that leads from Rofelle to the beautiful village of Montebotolino leads to old artillery positions that have underground bunkers and command posts.
• The route from Rofelle to Monte Faggiola passes by underground bunkers and leads to one of the most scenic places in the area.
• To see the largest German fortified area that acted as the crucial center of the defensive apparatus of the Gothic Line in the Alpe della Luna area, you can take the trail that leads from Poggio La Piazzuola to Monte dei Frati. Starting from the Passo di Viamaggio you’ll find a route that twists and turns along the ridge of Monte Verde. At the end, there are remnants of fortifications that still have the firing positions for riflemen and machine guns.
• The path to Caprile leads to the remnants of German heavy artillery posts. There you can see the last remaining cannon that, until mid-September,  was fired on the Allied troops who were located along the Tiber Valley.
• All the excursions and guided tours within the Historical Park of the Gothic Line can be customized.