Fort Gondo - Gondo, VS, Switzerland
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member fi67
N 46° 11.729 E 008° 06.847
32T E 431646 N 5116148
Fort Gondo was a secret artillery fort, dug into the rocks of the Gondo Gorge.
Waymark Code: WMT7TB
Location: Valais, Switzerland
Date Posted: 10/11/2016
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member veritas vita
Views: 4

EN: Fort Gondo was a secret artillery fortress in the Gondo Gorge. It controlled the strategically important south access to the Simplon Pass at an easy-to-control and non-avoidable location. Here, the Gondo Gorge is only narrow with hundreds of meters high, almost vertical side walls.

The fortress was built between 1909 and 1918 from a simpler site of the 19th century and further developed during the second world war. The main part of the fortress is located inside the rocks, and only the walls of some of the artillery positions and gateways can be seen from the outside.

The last crew left the fort in 1994. Since 2004, the fortress has been run by the Ecomuseum Simplon Foundation, which has opened a museum on the history of the fort. The museum is open about once a month on Saturdays, the scheduled dates are published. An approximately 350 meter long connecting tunnel between the west and east flank is today a part of a hiking trail and always accessible.

DE: Fort Gondo war eine geheime Artilleriefestung in der Gondoschlucht. Sie kontrollierte den strategisch wichtigen Südzugang zum Simplonpass an einer leicht zu kontrollierenden und nicht zu umgehenden Stelle. Hier ist die Gondoschlucht nur schmal mit hunderten von Metern hohen, fast senkrechten Seitenwänden.

Die Festung wurde zwischen 1909 und 1918 aus einer einfacheren Anlage des 19. Jahrhunderts errichtet und während des zweiten Weltkriegs weiter ausgebaut. Derr grösste Teil derr Festung befindet sich in den Felsen, von aussen sind nur die Mauern einiger Geschützstellungen und Zugänge zu sehen.

Die letzte Besatzung verliess das Fort 1994. Seit 2004 wird die Festung von der Stiftung Ecomuseum Simplon betrieben, die hier ein Museum über die Geschichte des Forts unterhält. Das Museum ist ungefähr einmal im Monat samstags geöffnet. Ein ungefähr 350 Meter langer Verbindungsstollen zwischen der West- und Ostflanke ist heute Teil des Wanderwegs und immer zugänglich.
The year the "Fort" was constructed or started.: 1909

Name of "Country" or "Nation" that constructed this "Fort": Switzerland

Was this "Fort" involved in any armed conflicts?: No it wasn't

What was the primary purpose of this "Historic Fort"?: Used for defence of a border or land claim.

Current condition: Fully intact

This site is administered by ----: Ecomuseum Simplon Foundation

If admission is charged -: 10.00 (listed in local currency)

Open to the public?: Restricted hours -Admission charged

Official or advertised web-page: [Web Link]

Link to web-site that best describes this "Historic Fort": [Web Link]

Link if this "Fort" is registered on your Countries/ State "Registry of Historical Sites or Buildi: Not listed

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