Mt. Matajur

The prealpine world of Mt. Matajur is an important geographical, historical, dialectal and ethnological milestone. While on the northern, i.e. Slovenian, side of Mt. Matajur, steep and overgrown slopes prevail, the extensive barren slopes on the Italian side that extend towards Špieter/San Pietro al Natisone are gentler. From the top of the mountain a magnificent panoramic view opens over Mts. Stol, Kanin and Krn, the Friuli lowlands, the Venetian villages at the foot of the hill and the Carnic Alps. Mt. Matajur that lies on the border between Slovenia and Italy, was occupied by Italian soldiers during World War I. Being remote from the front, Mt. Matajur was not a scene of any notable event all until the Twelfth Isonzo Battle. On October 26, 1917, the summit was conquered by First Lieutenant Erwin Rommel, and the entire Salerno Brigade was thus captured. Italian soldiers were tired of war due to the heavy losses in the past months and they surrendered virtually without a fight. For his success on Mt. Matajur, Rommel was later awarded also the highest German decoration “Pour le Mérite”. Text: Jaka Fili, Fundacija Poti miru Photos: Schirra/Giraldi, PromoTurismoFVG