List of forums / Italy / Other mountain ranges - Italy / Trieste Karst

Trieste Karst

bagi2. 04. 2024 18:36:56

I visited again the scenes of the fiercest WWI battles in the Soča region. This time on the Italian side, the reason being the Hungarian soldiers' cemetery in Foljan. When I visited the famous and magnificent ossuary in Sredipolje some time ago, I only noticed at home that just a few pages further there's a similar but much less pompous one. Dedicated to Hungarians who fell far from home in the name of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The main goal was known, but to it I planned a completely new path.

I started right across the border, in nearby Gabrje. From there towards the already known Monte S. Michele, but from the other side than the first time. Therefore the views were completely different, both near the main Cima 3, and further the still unknown Cima 4.

From the ridge I descended to the Friulian plain and followed the Soča, Isonzo in Italian. Through countless places I reached the main goal, the Hungarian soldiers' cemetery in Foljan. What can I say, sadly today nothing different. All fell and today they fall for political goals, regardless of the price and the side they fight for. Sad, very sad. Collective memory fades incredibly fast.

I returned towards Martinščina, Črnci and Brežice. In between I visited the hill Škofnik, which has a fortified complex from Cold War times on the summit. They feared us quite a bit, neighbor Italians velik nasmeh

. A little more walking and I was back at the start. More in the photo story ...

Coordinates of starting point (next to Gabrje village): 45.8871853N, 13.5859064E

The large parking lot in front of Gabrje village was still empty

The dirt road leads me between numerous vineyards

There are also many apiaries, but they are different from ours

Again at the historic Monte San Michele / Cima 3, this time from the other side

In front of the entrance to the underground labyrinths some weapons from the First World War are exhibited

This one was probably used by Napoleon too :)

All are directed down here and therefore this peak had a strategic position

Entrance to the underground. Here the Italians were dug in

A section of the tunnels as seen from the locked entrance

This is Cima 4, a militarily important peak on this ridge

I am descending into the valley along the Hungarian path. These fought for Austria-Hungary

I am approaching the Friulian plain, specifically the village Zdravščine. The churches are already typical for these places

There is not much life on the streets, dogs do not even walk their owners :)

Soča has flooded here, therefore they are intensively renovating the embankments

On the opposite riverbank something interesting for me appears :)

I cross the bridge and I am already in Gradišče ob Soči. At the signs I turn right ...

The path brings me to an old fortress which the Venetian Republic once built as defense against the Turks

In the meantime history has reshuffled the cards several times. Here there were also prisons for prisoners from the first war

Around the picturesque wall there is an arranged walking path and without hesitation I let myself be carried away on it :)

Behind the fortress is the old town core where an antiques market happens in the park every third Sunday

In between is the entrance to the house and a private chapel

I am already out of Gradišče and continue along the embankment along the Soča

Primary school, but I've never seen one so colorful and interesting :)

I also cross the side channel of the Soča named Canale Principale Dottori. It is channeled all the way to Monfalcone / Tržič

This is already Foljano, the main goal of today's tour

This led me to another cemetery from the First World War

Here are buried 14,550 Austro-Hungarian soldiers, mostly Hungarians

It is not as pompous as the Italian ossuary in nearby Sredipolje, but equally sad

In Polača I finish with the Friulian plain and turn left into the hills

I cross the railway, along which I also found remains of refugees this time, clothes of course :)

A little more and I'm already on a typical karst path. I'm moving at an altitude of over 100 m

This I didn't expect. In the middle of nowhere a monument over 10 m high dedicated to some Filippo Corridoni appears before me

First houses of Martinščina. I've been here before, but from the other side

The museum is of the smaller kind, unfortunately closed this time

In the middle between the streets there is again a monument to the Hungarians

Beautiful church San Martino Vescovo in the middle of the village

Conclusion and new beginning. Again a forest path lies before me

It winds beautifully through meadows and low vegetation like this. Pure pleasure :)

Believe it or not, this is home to the Črnci :)

At one of the farmsteads countless irises are blooming. Nice :)

I haven't met anyone on these paths all day. It's true that I always go a bit my own way :)

Bees on pasture, beehives lined up like soldiers :)

I also visit the nearby hill Škofnik with an interesting history

Surprisingly, the fortifications at the top are not remnants from WW1 but from the Cold War. The outpost operated even between 1970 and 1991

But the Italians were afraid of the *enemy* from places over there :)

Brežici. The starting point is not far now

The village is entirely Slovenian. Everything is written in Slovenian and they speak it too

But on the cemetery there is a typical monument that I have seen several times today already

Dedicated to the fallen Hungarians who apparently formed the majority of the Austro-Hungarian army in these parts

Gabrje from the other end as at the start of the path

The car is still alone, it's just much warmer than this morning :)

GPS track of the hiked path. It added up to 28 km and 700 elevation gain

(+6)

miri2. 04. 2024 19:42:41

You put effort into the description. Congratulations.

(+3)

mirank2. 04. 2024 19:50:09

I have to correct you, in picture 32, it's not Soča but one of the parallel canals and Sagrado also like most of the local places mostly settled by Slovenes has our name too - Zagraj. Probably because of the dam; beautiful places with heavy history, definitely something to see nasmeh

(+4)

lino2. 04. 2024 20:53:10

Bagi, as always very interesting trips with interesting descriptions and wonderful photos. Good luck to you both further! nasmeh

(+2)

bagi3. 04. 2024 04:43:13

Thanks everyone, remarks taken into account nasmeh

(+3)

bagi3. 04. 2024 11:05:23

He he, that's why it's so ugly velik nasmeh

. Really, I saw quite a few memorials from the first war in these places and this obelisk is definitely the most tasteless. But Duce snatched his friend from oblivion this way, that, however ...

(+4)

tulipan3. 04. 2024 15:31:00

Tastes change velik nasmeh

(+1)

bagi10. 04. 2024 14:38:42

On the Karst something new is always found, especially in the less known border area. This time the first goal was Doberdò Lake, the second the Timava springs. That they have nearby one of the best preserved dinosaurs in one piece I didn't even know nasmeh

. This and much more was found on this trip with start and end in Duino. More about the route in the photo story ...

Coordinates of the starting point (Duino): 45°46'24.0"N 13°36'27.7"E

I park at the free parking lot for visitors of Duino Castle and Rilke Trail

I head towards Sesljana, but soon turn left into the hills

On the only overpass for miles around, I cross the railway

A bit more steepness follows, then the path levels out and turns into the forest

I turn onto path 79. Surprisingly, the sign has only Italian names, which is more rare than the rule

But the marks soon direct me to a more hiking path

Everything is blooming, everything is greening, even the trees :)

The path is unusually narrow, but perfectly marked. Soon vegetation will cover it

Gnojin summit with remains of some military positions

Already almost 2 km I move along narrow paths right on the border

Finally at the border crossing I reach the main road

I walk along it for another good kilometer, after which I arrive in Jamlje

In the village I leave the main road and via a side path reach Doberdobsko jezero

The footpath turns right at the info board and soon I'm at the lake

Both armies claimed the lake shores due to the water sources

From below the lake is not very visible, so I decide for the ascent to the nearby hill

This will be it, the hill named Gradina.

To it leads path 78. Along it is a defensive ditch all the way to the hilltop

Also the path sign for the one that turns out to be officially closed at the end. Why exactly, I have no idea :)

Quite a few such paths have piled up today already

Militarily important peak, since the view from it is exceptional

Doberdobsko jezero from the top. Its level can fluctuate up to 10 m, which I'll soon get to see :)

I descend the other side, where steel cables even assist

The path leads to military positions high on the hill, as they had good control over events from there

Near the cavern there is also an info board

On it is also written in our language how and what

The continuation takes place along supply paths

Formerly this was probably a headquarters post, now it is a CAI shelter.

Here also run the Alpe Adria and Sentiero Italia trails.

Soon I am back on the shore and follow path 72.

Which soon disappears. Hmm ... where now ???

That about the fluctuation of the water level is obviously very true ...

I'm not the least bit interested in what's written there :)

One of the many underwater springs. Apparently the lake is fed from the Soča and Vipava.

Somehow I make my way through the flooded path and by the next junction the shoes are already dry :)

I'm entering a more militarily significant area again. Here are the defensive trenches Trincea Cuzzi.

There is also an info board here about what happened here.

But that's not all. Not far away on Golec hill there is a whole complex of fortifications.

With today's eyes it looks quite unusual, but it must have made some sense.

All of it is part of the thematic park *Grande Guerra*, but the surprises are not over yet ...

There is another hill nearby, simply named *Quota Enrico Toti*.

On it there is a memorial park, and on the side stones various military units are listed.

The central monument in memory of the fallen.

This too :) Nature is indestructible, we are not.

Proof of how nature regenerates. Burned trees will be overgrown by new ones over time.

Another memorial site, this time on the burned hill Sablici.

This bunker is a little further on. Judging by its condition, I'm not sure which period it dates from.

Signs for Camino Flavia, or rather Žajbljevo pot. We have encountered it several times before and walked large parts of it.

Returning to the other side of the railway...

The next goal is the springs of the Timava, a short river that flows quickly into the Adriatic.

Before that, I stumble upon the unlocked church of St. John the Baptist in Štivan.

Church architecture is always interesting to me, so I gladly inspect the interior.

Info board about the three springs of Timava. The first is right next to the church.

That's it. It resembles the springs of our Vipava.

Part of the third spring is diverted to the hydroelectric plant.

Nearby is the Fishing Settlement too, and of course my feet carry me in that direction as well :)

Huge numbers of sailboats are parked on dry land, even more are in the water in wide channels.

There are only a few fishing boats, but they stand out prominently from the formlessness.

I continue to the restaurant at the end of the road, then turn sharply left onto path 1.

Dinosaur Antonio, one of the best-preserved in the world. The original is in the Natural History Museum in Trieste.

Slowly completing the loop. I'm already in the outskirts of Devin.

Entrance to Devin Castle. The queue at the end of the corridor is for tickets.

The loop is closed after many kilometers. It was full of sights and almost summer temperatures.

30 km and 900 m of elevation gain accumulated.

(+3)

bagi4. 12. 2024 14:21:46

Trieste Karst came up again, always welcome on cold days nasmeh

. This time we revisited the Doberdò plateau area known from WWI via unknown paths and newly discovered zone A, known as part of the Morgan Line at the end of WWII. Weather was great and nature showed us sumac in wonderful colors, although its beauty is already fading and leaves almost all brown.

We started at the small forgotten border crossing Clarici, which surprisingly on return was guarded by two Italian carabinieri velik nasmeh

. Friendly, bored, but in the spirit of current political decisions. Continued along the slopes of the hills above Jamlje, descended to Doberdò and across the eastern part of the plateau with sad history towards Romjan. From there we headed back over the hills above the shipbuilding town Monfalcone and via Jamlje back to start. More concrete data in the photo story.

With this we conclude our exploration of Trieste Karst. We crossed it lengthwise and crosswise and never thought there was so much interesting here. We'll surely return, but time to move to other areas nasmeh

.

Coordinates of starting point (border crossing Clarici): 45°48'53.7"N 13°35'46.8"E