The pass road was built in 1915-1916 as a military road for Austria-Hungary by Russian prisoners of war. Over 400 of them died in an avalanche in March 1916 alone. On the north side, at about 1200 m above sea level, the Russian chapel built by these Russians commemorates the victims. The road was opened in the second half of 1915 and named Archduke Eugene Road. A large part of the supplies for the major offensive by Austria-Hungary and Germany were transported along this road.