Museo Forte Airolo

Nowhere else in the Alps has such intense fortification work been carried out over the past 150 years as on the Gotthard. Even today, you can see stone structures built between the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as those from the First and Second World Wars.

The history of modern fortifications on the Gotthard began in 1882 with the opening of the Gotthard railway. Thanks to this new crossing, the passage through the Alps was significantly shortened, and it suddenly became possible to quickly move an army from one side of the Alps to the other. This new military capability attracted the interest of neighboring countries. There is no doubt that the conquest of the Gotthard axis was among the strategic goals of the Triple Alliance, established in 1882 between Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Kingdom of Italy, in opposition to France. This serious threat led Switzerland to construct the "Gotthard fortress," the largest fortification effort ever undertaken by the country.

Fort Airolo was built between 1887 and 1890 to defend the access points to the Gotthard railway tunnel and the Bedretto Valley. In 1989, thanks to the efforts of the then commander of the Fortress Guard Corps, Colonel Arnoldo Moriggia, and coinciding with the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of mobilization, the Fort Airolo Museum was inaugurated.

With its labyrinth of tunnels and casemates, it is a true masterpiece of military architecture. The roof – reminiscent of a turtle’s shell – is entirely covered with granite blocks from Lavorgo, paying tribute to the exceptional craftsmanship of the stonemasons of that time. The building also features an outer moat designed for close combat.

It is undoubtedly one of the best-preserved forts of its kind in Europe.

Guided tours

• Open from the beginning of June to the beginning of October with guided tours every first Saturday of the month (7 June, 5 July, 2 August, 6 September and 4 October 2025) at 1.30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Open all year round for groups with prior reservation.