A new art installation in the heart of the Italian Alps encourages visitors to “think like a mountain”.
The Frattini Bivouac is located at 2,300 meters above sea level along the Alta Via delle Orobie Bergamasche in the Val Seriana, on an exposed and unforgiving ridge defined by jagged peaks and rocky slopes.
Reaching the remote Red Mountain Sanctuary requires a six- to eight-hour ascent on foot through rocks, snowfields, and moss.
Upon entering, visitors can find nine simple folding beds, a wooden bench, a skylight and two panoramic windows.
There is no heating, running water or phone lines, and solar roof panels provide basic lighting and emergency outlets.
Its shape resembles that of a classic tent, which “evokes the spirit of early exploration in the high mountains,” according to an accompanying press release.
The red exterior is made of technical fabric designed to withstand adverse weather conditions and covered with cork, which provides thermal and sound insulation.
It has no personnel and no tickets, and anyone can enter.
The Frattini Bivouac also serves as a scientific base, collecting real-time data on the surrounding mountain ecosystem.
This installation is in collaboration with GAMeC – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Bergamo and the Bergamo section of the Italian Alpine Club, as part of Thinking Like a Mountain – The Orobie Biennial, which explores the relationship between art, territories, and human and “more than human” communities.
The shelter replaced one that was first installed in 1970 and was destroyed by an avalanche just two years later.
It was briefly restored in 1975, but over time it became structurally dangerous.
“This innovative high-altitude bivouac maintains its essential function as a refuge and emergency shelter along the Sentiero delle Orobie, overlooking the magnificent amphitheater dominated by the peaks of Redorta, Scais and Coca,” said Paolo Valotti, former president of CAI Bergamo (Alpine Club of Italy).
He added that the installation will help “promote education and respect for our mountains.”
Frattini Bivouac is located at 46°02’27.60″N 9°55’14.90″E and is open all year round.
Visitors are advised to check weather conditions and hiking trails with the Italian Alpine Club.
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