Pfitscher-Joch-Haus

The place

The Passo di Vizze Refuge: A Historic Witness on the Border Between Italy and Austria The Passo di Vizze Refuge (in German, Pfitscher-Joch-Haus) is a refuge located on the Vizze pass, on the border between Italy (municipality of Val di Vizze) and Austria (Finkenberg), at an altitude of 2,276 metres. History The refuge was built in wood in 1888 by the innkeeper Alois Rainer from San Giacomo di Val di Vizze (St. Jakob in Pfitsch). A stone building was later added and still stands today, completed in 1897. During the First World War, the refuge remained closed and was reopened only in its wooden section, with the stone annex occupied by Italian troops. It was closed again during the Second World War, and from 1945 part of the building was used by the Italian authorities for customs and border services. It was closed once more and used for military purposes between 1963 and 1970. On 25 May 1966, it was the target of a dynamite attack by the Befreiungsausschuss Südtirol, which destroyed the wooden section and killed customs officer Bruno Bolognesi. The refuge was rebuilt starting in 1971 and reopened in 1973, offering overnight accommodation from 1977. In the 1990s, it was connected to the sewage and electrical networks via a 3.3 km long channel. Availability and Booking Opening: From early June to late September. Booking: Available online. Other Resources See Wikimedia Commons for more images of the Passo di Vizze refuge. No External Links Available