Castana: War History, Valleys and Trails

Castana combines a eventful history with a distinctive location between the valley branches of the Posina and Zara valleys. The village lies on Provincial Road No. 81 to Posina in the Val Posina. This gives it a clear character for planning your trip: you can combine historical traces in the village with trails through former settlement areas and a drive along the mountain stream.

Arrival through the Val Posina

The road through the Val Posina runs alongside the mountain stream and leads to the centre of Castana. There, the route divides. To the left, it continues through the main Posina valley, while to the right, the valley of the Zara stream opens towards Laghi. This fork makes Castana an easily recognisable point of orientation within the two valley directions, without restricting the landscape to just one route.

The dolomitic Monte Maio rises above the valley branches. The mountain reaches an altitude of 1,500 metres and separates the Posina Valley from the Zara Valley at Castana. Those who want to experience the surroundings not merely as a transit area but also through their geological and landscape features will find a tangible connection here between the course of the roads, the division of the valleys and the shape of the mountain.

Church of San Pietro Apostolo and the History of the Village

A central historical landmark is the Church of San Pietro Apostolo, dedicated to the Apostle Peter. The inhabitants of Castana and Tovo received permission to build it on 29 December 1797. The church was solemnly blessed on 22 November 1803. The parish of San Pietro Apostolo was later established by episcopal decree dated 18 February 1957.

Castana was a front-line area during the First World War. During the Strafexpedition in May 1916, the village was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian army for around forty days. The church is also connected with this history: after the First World War, it was filled with war materiel, including bombs, mortar shells, gelatine, cartridges and projectiles of all calibres. According to the history of the municipality, it may also have provided shelter for columns of mules during night-time wartime movements. The cautious wording of this account is part of the historical classification of the site.

Trails to Contrade, Forest and War Remains

From the village centre, the trail leads through the Valle dei Biasi to the ruined Contrade Biasi di sotto and Biasi di sopra. Old dry-stone walls in the forest are a reminder that meadows once existed there, later overgrown as vegetation spread. The walls therefore point to an earlier use of the landscape, without equating today’s forest areas with the former meadows.

A paved trail begins at Contrada Pasqualetti and climbs uphill towards the ridge of the Sogli Bianchi. Another option is the circular trail in the Val di Tovo. There, you will encounter First World War installations, abandoned contrade and steep rock faces. Depending on the trail you choose, the focus is therefore either on traces of earlier settlement, military history or the rock and valley formations.

More Places to Consider

If you would like to compare Castana with other places included in your travel selection, you can find Gambugliano, Primolano, San Giorgio Di Perlena, Posina, Piovene Rocchette, Ponte Di Barbarano, Canove di Roana and Arcugnano here.

For the overarching travel overview: Vicenza.