Gleno Dam

If you find yourself in the province of Bergamo in Italy, you can go to see the ruins of the Gleno dam in the vicinity of the small town of Vilminore di Scalve. This unique monument reminds of the tragic events that occurred here in the early twentieth century.

In the first half of the last century, many Alpine valleys became sites for the construction of dams designed to meet Italy’s growing demand for electricity. Construction of the Gleno Dam began in 1920. Already during the work there were complaints about the use of poor-quality building materials. In addition, right in the process of construction, the project of the dam was changed, not confirmed by the necessary calculations. The dam was commissioned in early 1923.

And on December 1, 1923, after heavy rains, the dam could not stand and gave a crack. More than four and a half million cubic meters of water rushed into the valley. A flood of water, mud, stones and trees swept from the face of the earth the villages of Buegio and Dezzo. Almost four hundred people died during this disaster.

Today you can see the remains of the Gleno dam, resting on the slopes of the mountains on both sides of the valley. Between the gloomy gray walls there is a small lake. A modest monument to the victims of the tragedy was erected near its shores.