View source for Predil Pass

{{Short description|Mountain pass on border between Italy and Slovenia}}
{{for|the mountain pass in Bulgaria|Predel (Bulgaria)}}

{{Infobox mountain pass
| name = Predil Pass
| photo = Mangrt 05.jpg
| photo_caption = Pass road with Mount [[Mangart]]
| elevation_m = 1156
| elevation_ref = 
| traversed = 
| map = Alps
| map_caption = Location within the Alps
| map_size = 
| label = Predil Pass
| coords = {{coord|46|25|7|N|13|34|47|E|type:pass|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Italy]]–[[Slovenia]] border
| range = 
| topo = 
}}

The '''Predil Pass''' or '''Predel Pass''' ({{langx|it|Passo di Predil}}; {{langx|sl|Predel}}, {{IPA|sl|pɾɛˈdeːl|pron}}) (el. 1156&nbsp;m) is a high mountain pass on the border between [[Italy]] and [[Slovenia]].

==Geography==
[[File:Cave del predil Log-pod Mangartom tunnel map.svg|thumb|left|Map of pass road and tunnel]]
The pass is located in the [[Julian Alps]], between the peaks of Mount [[Mangart]] to the north and Mount [[Kanin (mountain)|Kanin]] to the south. It connects [[Cave del Predil]], part of the Italian municipality of [[Tarvisio]] in the northwest, with the [[Municipality of Bovec]] in the Upper [[Soča]] (Isonzo) Valley in Slovenia.

On the Italian side, [[state highway]] no. 54 (''del Friuli'') leads from Tarvisio and the Canal Valley along [[Slizza]] Creek to [[Lago del Predil|Lake Predil]], where the route to the [[Sella Nevea]] Pass in the south branches off, and uphill to the Predil crest. On the Slovenian side, road no. 203 runs downhill to [[Log pod Mangartom]] and continues to [[Bovec]]. The village of [[Strmec na Predelu]] lies just below the border crossing.

==History==
The road was built from 1319 onwards by the citizens of [[Cividale del Friuli|Cividale]] in the [[Patriarchate of Aquileia (state)|Patriarchate of Aquileia]] with the consent of the [[Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg|Prince-Bishops of Bamberg]], then the possessors of the [[Duchy of Carinthia|Carinthian]] lands in the north. However, the importance of the trade route diminished after the Aquileia territory in the south was incorporated into the ''[[Domini di Terraferma]]'' by the [[Republic of Venice]] in 1420.

Since 1754 the Predil Pass marked the border between the Duchy of Carinthia with the lands of the Princely County of [[Gorizia and Gradisca]] (part of the [[Austrian Littoral]] from 1849) in the southeast, both part of the [[Habsburg monarchy]]. During the [[War of the Fifth Coalition]], an [[Austrian Empire|Austrian]] contingent under Captain Johann Hermann von Hermannsdorf on 18 May 1809 fought against the [[First French Empire|French]] forces moving from the [[Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)|Kingdom of Italy]] upon the [[Battle of Tarvis (1809)|Battle of Tarvis]]. Hermannsdorf was killed in battle, in 1851 a memorial was erected in his honour.

In 1903 a {{convert|4.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} long tunnel (''Štoln'') was built beneath the pass, serving miners from Log pod Mangartom on their way to the lead mines in Cave del Predil. In [[World War I]] the [[mine railway]] was used to supply the [[Austro-Hungarian Army]] in the [[Battles of the Isonzo]] against the [[Kingdom of Italy]].

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Predil Pass - view west.JPG|West view from the pass, showing Lake Predil
File:Predil Pass - Italian fort.JPG|Fortification on the Italian side of the pass
File:Predil Pass - Austrian fort.JPG|Austrian fort on the Slovenian side of the pass
File:Predil Pass - Austrian monument.JPG|Monument to troops killed at the pass in 1809
File:Predil Pass - Austrian grave.JPG|Grave of Austrian troops killed at the pass in 1809
File:Log pod Magartom-Stoln.jpg|Tunnel entrance in Log pod Mangartom
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of highest paved roads in Europe]]
* [[List of mountain passes#Europe|List of mountain passes]]

==External links==
*{{commonscat-inline|Predil Pass}}

[[Category:Mountain passes of Italy|Predil]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Slovenia|Predil]]
[[Category:Italy–Slovenia border crossings]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of the Julian Alps]]