The Rifugio Antonio Locatelli (in German Dreizinnenhütte) is an alpine hut located in the Tre Cime nature park in South Tyrol, at 2,450 m. The hut allows accommodation for up to 140 people, with 40 beds in bedrooms and 100 bunks in a dormitory.
Rifugio Antonio Locatelli History
The history of the Rifugio Antonio Locatelli begins in 1881, when the owner of the Post hotel in Sesto, Karl Stemberger, proposed to build an alpine hut for the Alta Pusteria section of the Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein, the Austro-German alpine club, at the Toblin. After an inspection of the entire section, all the participants were enthusiastic about the unique panorama that can be enjoyed on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, on Mount Paterno and the surrounding mountains, and decided to build the refuge on the fork.
Karl Stemberger took over the works, while the project was carried out by the section president, engineer Rienzner from Dobbiaco. The works began in the spring of 1882. In two months the material was procured and a simple one-storey building of 4x8 m of cut stone with a pitched roof was erected. The small refuge included on the ground floor an equipped room, a built-in kitchen, two tables, benches and some chairs. Next to it there was a door leading to a second room which served as a bed for the shepherds. On the east side, there was an external staircase that led to the attic, which contained up to ten beds.
The small alpine hut was supposed to be open for autumn, but the weather was not always favorable. In fact, in 1882, a flood in September is remembered throughout Alta Pusteria. The inauguration then slipped to 1883. 1,250 florins were spent on its construction, of which 900 came from the central box and the rest was paid by the section instead.
However, the building was destroyed during the First World War by an Italian shell.
In 1922 an alpine hut was rebuilt instead of the previous one, from the Alta Pusteria section of the Alpenverein Südtirol. In 1923 the building was expropriated in favor of the CAI section of Padua which in 1935 made an important restoration.
The new alpine hut was not renovated but was built from scratch in a slightly different location. A simple monument built on a corner of the visible ex-sediment recalls the previous structure and the name of Sepp Innerkofler.
From the large panoramic terrace you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Monte Paterno. The refuge can be easily reached starting from the Auronzo refuge (Giro delle Tre Cime) or from Val Fiscalina through Val Sassovecchio or through Valle Rienza, Landro
At the Rifugio Antonio Locatelli here is a small chapel and two small lakes: the Piani lakes (Bödenseen).