Fortifications of the late 800's in the Upper Susa Valleys (Italian Cottian Alps): a geo-morphological perspective

Pietro Mosca & Gianfranco Fioraso
CNR – Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, Torino. E-mail: p.mosca@csg.to.cnr.it

In the second part of the 19th century, permanent fortifications were built along the Italia-France border. Their constructions required careful consideration of the orographic and morphologic features of the mountain landscape. In particular, a number of Italian military fortifications were built in the Cesana Torinese area to control the Monginevro pass and its adjoining areas. The most famous is the Chaberton Fort the highest fort in the Alps located with offensive scope at the summit of the homonymous mountain. The impressive works for its construction determined a change on the morphology of the top of Mount Chaberton, smoothed and lowered at least of 6 m.

Western Alps, Monginevro, Chaberton Fort, Geomorphology.