Grappa and History

The Museo del Ponte Degli Alpini in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, has an outstanding collection of artifacts and photos from the monumental conflict between Italy and Austria in World War I. As if that wasn't enough, it is also downstairs from a tavern that anchors one end of the Ponte Vecchio, a beautiful wooden bridge over the river that passes through the city.

The Ponte Vecchio has a long history and traditions that live on today. On any given Sunday, you will see Italian families strolling back and forth across the cobbled surface and lingering over the view of the Dolomiti to the north. This scene is made all the more delightful by the tradition of drinking a glass of grappa in each of the taverns that reside on either end of the bridge. Bassano del Grappa is the birthplace of grappa - a powerful distillation of what is left over after one squeezes the juice out of wine grapes. There are many monuments to grappa sprinkled throughout this part of the Veneto, including the Poli Grappa Museum just up the lane from the Ponte Vecchio. Grappa can be as diverse as its cousin, wine, and just as fun to sample the varieties. Unfortunately, it is so powerful that one is not likely to get through many samples before keeling over in a blissful stupor.















It was while I was dangerously close to one of the aforementioned stupors that I literally stumbled upon the Museo. It is located downstairs from the taverna on the west end of the bridge and although I was looking for the bathroom at the time, it was as if I stumbled through a wardrobe into Narnia when I stepped into the museo. The collection of artifacts from the war includes climbing gear, weapons, photographs, medals and other memorabilia from the epic struggle between Austria and Italy over the fate of the Sud Tirol, which ultimately became part of Italy following WWI.















This part of Italy is filled with reminders of the unbelievable hardship and courage of the men who fought here, and rightfully so. The conditions in the Dolomiti at altitude are enough to humble even the most experienced climbers. Imagine making it just to one of the passes (never mind the peaks) while carrying a weapon, ammunition, climbing gear and provisions - under fire, and you may begin to get a sense of the incredible feats performed by the soldiers on both sides of the conflict.