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Calà del Sasso (Path of the 4,444 Steps)

Calà del Sasso (Path of the 4,444 Steps)

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Calà del Sasso (Path of the 4,444 Steps)

Name: Calà del Sasso (Path of the 4,444 Steps)
Rating: 2

Recommended by 38 hikers

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Location: Valstagna, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy

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Best Hiking Routes to Calà del Sasso (Path of the 4,444 Steps)

4.5

(134)

556

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1. Moss-Covered Waterfall – Beech Trail loop from Valstagna

8.37km

03:40

730m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.5

(11)

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2. Beech Trail – Brenta River loop from Carpanè - Valstagna

15.6km

06:50

1,130m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

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Hard

4.4

(45)

118

hikers

3. Civita dei Morti – Beech Trail loop from Valstagna

6.22km

02:58

630m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

A. 🐺

March 26, 2024

It is the longest staircase in Italy, perhaps in Europe: in any case, one of the longest in the world!

The Calà del Sasso is a bold, ingenious, and extremely long stone staircase built in the late 14th century and used until the early 1900s. It was conceived and built to quickly and easily transport timber from Asiago to the valley floor, avoiding the Foza municipal road, which at the time imposed heavy duties. Once reached the river port of Valstagna, the logs were transported across the Brenta River to Venice, to build the foundations and ships of the Serenissima. Exploited and cared for for centuries, in the 19th century it began to lose importance with the construction of new, modern roads: particularly the Strada del Costo and the Piovene-Asiago railway line.

'Calà' means descent; 'Sasso' is the name of the hamlet upstream, on the plateau, where the trail begins, and of the valley of the same name.

Structurally, this masterpiece of road engineering consists of 4,444 steps (!!!) of constant pitch and height, intended for lumberjacks and mules to minimize the risk of falling even in rain and snow; alongside, a concave paved slide allowed logs to slide down. The steep gradient (750m of elevation gain in just 2.5km, with a gradient ranging from 20% to 40%) suggests it was designed for downhill travel: to transport the wood down to the valley (the so-called 'menàta') in the shortest possible time and with minimal effort.

There's even a legend: in the 17th century, Nicolò descended this valley in search of a miracle cure for his beloved Loretta, who was stricken with the plague and pregnant with their child. He returned with the cure, and they lived happily ever after... from then on, if two engaged couples walk along the Calà hand in hand without ever parting, they will love each other forever.

it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calà_del_Sasso

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Respiro D’Abruzzo - RDA77

September 15, 2024

The 4444 steps of the ascent (or descent) of Calà del Sasso are a work of ingenuity from the 14th century to descend (Calà) the woods from Asiago to Valstagna. The steps are placed on one side while on the other side the part for sliding the logs is visible. The path inside the forest can be traveled with due care both uphill and downhill with boots or trail shoes. Also worth knowing is the legend that accompanies the path especially by lovers...

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Distance 2.91 km

Uphill 640 m

Downhill 0 m

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Location: Valstagna, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy

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Calà del Sasso (Path of the 4,444 Steps)

1. Moss-Covered Waterfall – Beech Trail loop from Valstagna

2. Beech Trail – Brenta River loop from Carpanè - Valstagna

3. Civita dei Morti – Beech Trail loop from Valstagna

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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