Monte Piana

Monte Piana is a mountain plateau in the Dolomites of northeastern Italy, with a summit altitude of about 2,324 meters. It is notable for being one of the best-preserved World War I battlefields in the Alps.

The plateau contains a compact circuit of preserved trenches, shell holes and memorials that can be explored on well-marked hiking trails. An open-air war museum and a small military cemetery present interpretive panels and original artifacts from the 1915-1917 fighting.

During World War I Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces fought for control of this sector of the Dolomites between 1915 and 1917; the combat left extensive trench works and battlefield debris. In the decades after the war these remains were conserved and the site was developed as an outdoor museum and memorial to those who fought.

The mountain sits in the eastern Dolomites near Cortina d’Ampezzo and the Misurina area in the province of Belluno, Veneto. It is reached by mountain trails from nearby valleys and road-accessible trailheads.

• Elevation: Summit sits at 2,324 meters above sea level.
• Access and season: Most hiking approaches take roughly 1.5-3 hours from nearby trailheads, with summer the primary visiting season for trails and memorials.

What to See #

• Plateau and summits: A broad, relatively flat summit area formed by two adjacent peaks and a shallow saddle; the plateau contains the main network of preserved World War I trenches and memorials.
• War museum and cemetery: An open-air war museum and small military cemetery occupying restored sections of the front line, with interpretive panels and visible relics from the 1915-1917 conflict.