Discover what to do in Cogollo del Cengio: Monte Cengio, the Sagra del Prezioso, the little church of Sant’Agata. Do you want to know more? First of all…
Where is Cogollo del Cengio?
The municipality of Cogollo del Cengio borders to the north-east with Roana, to the north-west with Valdastico, to the south with Piovene Rocchette, to the east with Roana and Caltrano, to the west with Valdastico, Arsiero and Velo d’Astico.
Monte Cengio
One of the most significant localities of the municipality from a cultural and naturalistic point of view, Monte Cengio saw the military corps of the Grenadiers of Sardinia and the infantrymen of the Royal Italian Army oppose the Austro-Hungarian troops.
The battle of the plateaus
Strenuously defended from 29 May to 3 June 1916, Monte Cengio was one of the targets that Chief of Staff Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf had planned to conquer as part of a complex strategy that consisted of breaking through the Italian lines along Valdastico and Vallarsa in the direction of Thiene and then spreading into the Vicenza foothills.
The enemy advance began on 15 May. In Val Terragnolo and on the Tonezza plateau the Italians were decimated by the pounding Austrian artillery and the few survivors forced to retreat. Having lost the positions of Col Santo, the Alpini nonetheless defended with incredible ardor the Pasubio massif, Vallarsa and Coni Zugna.
On the Asiago plateau, the Italian troops stationed from Monte Costesin to Marcai were forced into a disastrous retreat, leaving Campolongo and Verena also in Austrian hands. The massive Austrian bombardments caused more than three thousand victims at Colle Costesin and in the nearby Brusolada woods, in a landscape devastated by lunar craters and trees razed to the ground.
Italian courage was not enough to contain the impetus of the Austro-Hungarian army, which occupied Monte Cimone, Arsiero and pushed as far as Asiago.
After Fort Corbin, Monte Cengio also fell following fierce fighting that cost the lives of more than ten thousand Italians.
Excursion on Monte Cengio
The starting point is Piazzale principe del Piemonte, accessible by car. The first stage of the itinerary is the percorso del granatiere, a communication route built along the steep slopes covered with firs, from which you can enjoy a wide view of the valley below, dotted with tiny faded roofs like mosaic tiles laid at the foot of Monte Summano.
Through a tunnel dug into the side of the mountain called Galleria Cannoniera you reach a trench reinforced with wooden planks, surrounded in spring and summer by buttercups, marigolds, daisies and bright purple wild thistles.
Having climbed the dirt steps among dense shrubs, the path leads to the mulattiera di arroccamento, a road built between 1917 and 1918 to allow movement sheltered from shelling.
The sheer path leads to the ecomuseum of World War I. Proceed west and take the winding track in the rock called Salto dei Granatieri, from which you are easily struck by the fascinating panorama of slopes covered with dark forest vegetation that plunge into the plain marked by fields and thick hedges surrounding houses, buildings and industrial areas like miniatures.
Two of the most suggestive observation points of the itinerary are the monumental area dominated by a large metal cross and a powerful statue shaped like a soldier made from pieces and fragments of ordnance exploded more than a century ago. Further on there is an observation point reachable via narrow stone passages from which you can admire the sinuous course of the Astico and the towns of Arsiero and Velo d’Astico between the peaks of Monte Summano and Monte Giove.
If you are wondering what to do in Cogollo del Cengio and wish to immerse yourself in unspoiled nature discovering the places that indelibly marked some of the most tragic chapters of 20th century history, visiting Monte Cengio will be an unforgettable experience!
Sagra del Prezioso
The Sagra del Prezioso takes place every year in the first half of July at the parish church of San Cristoforo in Via Angelo Dal Zotto, 68.
In addition to promoting the tasty gastronomic specialties of the area, to be enjoyed in large dining areas, the event includes musical performances and outdoor dance evenings.
The little church of Sant’Agata
Located a short distance from the meanders of the Astico, with the imposing bulk of Monte Summano as a backdrop (45.775903697775604, 11.423559145163042), the church of Sant’Agata is a splendid place of worship dating back to the 6th century. Framed by lush vineyards and the flourishing hedges of the torrential river, the Lombard-era building is distinguished by its graceful bell tower, the enchanting arches that anticipate the entrance and the pictorial decorations that adorn its nave.
