THE GLENO DAM
A story not to forget
Today, the Gleno plain represents an oasis of Alpine tranquility, surrounded by pastures and the majestic peaks of the Bergamo mountains. It is the destination of numerous hiking trails that go up from the Scalve valley to an altitude of 1500 meters, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the entire Presolana Massif. Unfortunately, however, this town is also linked to a tragic event that occurred more than a century ago.
In fact, in those same pastures, important works began in 1917, which culminated in 1923 in the construction of a magnificent multi-arch dam, at the time considered a prodigy of modern engineering. After the tests, the reservoir was filled to its maximum capacity, but flaws and losses were immediately evident. There was no time to remedy the obvious construction defects, because on the morning of December 1, 1923, the dam wall collapsed.
In their descent into the valley, six million cubic meters of water erased the town of Bueggio, overwhelmed most of Dezzo and other municipalities in the Valley, until they reached Darfo Boario and ended up in Lake Iseo. In all, more than 400 people lost their lives.
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Even today, walking to the dam, it is possible to admire the part of the retaining wall that still exists.
In addition, in memory of this tragedy, the 'Gleno Exhibition Space' has been set up in the town of Vilmeno, where you can consult photographic and paper material and stories of witnesses of the time.