Baron Franchetti and Cortina
Among the various personalities who have left a lasting impression on Cortina, I would like to mention Baron Franchetti today. Passionate skiers who frequent Cortina are well acquainted with the Canalone Franchetti, a splendid slope of the Faloria ski resort and Cortina has no shortage of Baron Franchetti’s street. Probably, however, few people know who Baron Franchetti was.
Who was Baron Franchetti?
Born in Vienna on January 15, 1896, Carlo Franchetti was an entrepreneur, caver, skier, and mountaineer who was a descendant of the noble Franchetti family of barons. The baron established himself as a pioneering figure, combining passion, innovation, and strategic investment in mountain infrastructure development.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Cortina was undergoing a radical transformation. Indeed, from a quiet mountain resort, the town was becoming a destination of excellence for tourism. It was in this context that Baron Franchetti, thanks to his influence and connections with the European nobility, particularly the Austrian and German nobility, actively promoted Cortina d’Ampezzo as a luxury destination.
Baron Franchetti was a very curious person full of interests: he loved culture, mountains, climbing and skiing. When he first arrived in Cortina, he thought the place was so beautiful that everyone should see and appreciate it.
However, Carlo Franchetti was not only a mountain lover; he was also a man with numerous ideas and the courage to bring them to life. So he decided to help the country by building cable cars and ski lifts, which were absolute novelties in those days.
He utilized his resources and time to enhance Cortina, making it increasingly welcoming to visitors. Thanks in part to him, Cortina has evolved from a small town in the mountains to become one of the most famous and beloved destinations for tourists from all over the world.
Baron’s great works in Cortina
🗓️ 1923 – Franchetti Ski Jump in Zuel
The Baron financed the construction of the first ski jump at Zuel, known as the Trampolino Franchetti: it allowed jumps up to 40 meters, later expanded in 1926 to 52 meters. This pioneering facility laid the foundation for the future Trampolino Olimpico Italia, used during the 1956 Olympics.
🗓️ 1925 – Pocol Cable Car
Exactly 100 years ago, the Pocol cable car was inaugurated, marking the beginning of the era of ski lifts in the Dolomites.
Built by the firm Ceretti and Tanfani and inaugurated by its company FAIT (Funivie Aeree Italiane Turistiche), it was the first such facility in Cortina.
It connected Rome Square (1,224 m) to Pocol Belvedere (1,543 m), offering panoramic views of the basin. The new fashion became “doing a pocolino”: going up by cable car and coming down by horse-drawn sleigh or on skis.
🗓️ 1939 – Faloria Cable Car
Also built by FAIT, and financed by Baron Franchetti, the Faloria cable car was inaugurated by Edda Ciano Mussolini on February 5. Considered at the time a daring work, it consolidated Cortina’s reputation as a winter sports capital. A large hut equipped with a terrace and solarium was immediately built at the arrival station. The Faloria cable car marked a real change.
This was no longer just an excursion to “admire the view”. This was a genuine ski facility: the cabin transported skiers, equipped with skis, snowshoes, and boots, to a plateau of snow-covered slopes where the snow remained longer than in the valley below, thereby extending the season.
Shortly after, also thanks to the Baron, the cable car was built, connecting the Faloria refuge to the Tondi, which has since been decommissioned. The ski lifts on the Cristallo were also created at his initiative, though I don’t have detailed information about the construction date or other specifics.
Culture and distinguished friendships
In Cortina, the baron organized alpine excursions for tourists using Citroën Chenille, special tracked cars that, at the time, were among the very few vehicles capable of tackling steep high-altitude trails and bringing enthusiasts closer to the highest peaks.
Also in Cortina, he was among the founders and president from 1946 to 1954 of the historic Ski Club 18, an exclusive club frequented by genuine enthusiasts and excellent skiers.
Baron Carlo Franchetti was not only involved in building cable cars and other sports infrastructure, but he was also a significant figure in the culture and politics of his time. He entertained relationships with prominent figures in Italy and abroad, and his residence in Cortina became a point of reference for political figures and intellectuals.
Although there are no exact sources about his residence in Cortina, we know that he was friends with the writer Ernest Hemingway, who often came to Cortina to go hunting and slept at the Hotel de la Poste. The baron’s family also owned a beautiful palace in Venice called Palazzo Tron, where they often invited Hemingway and other distinguished guests.
Mountaineering curiosity
The Carlo Franchetti Refuge is named after this man. It is located at an altitude of 2,433 meters in the Vallone delle Cornacchie, on the Teramo side of the Gran Sasso d’Italia, within the municipality of Pietracamela, near Prati di Tivo. Inaugurated on October 2, 1960, by the CAI of Rome, the refuge remains active today and serves as a vital point of reference for hikers in the area.
Reflections on the Cortina – Pocol cable car
Today, of the Pocol cable car – once a symbol of the ingenuity and modernity of its time – only a memory remains. In 2001, Frediano and Franco Farsetti purchased the building that had been the former departure station. After careful restoration, the building was transformed into the home of a gallery and auction house, Farsettiarte.
The old arrival station, on the other hand, in Pocol, lies in a total state of neglect. Poor Baron, if you could see it, how saddened you would be. And to think that Carlo Franchetti had expressed a specific wish: that it would be the Ampezzo people themselves who would take care of the cable car once he was gone.
At the time, the Cortina Ski School had expressed interest in the idea, but as often happens when you have to get a large group of people to agree, not all members were in favor. Ultimately, part of the group voted against it, and the project ultimately foundered. From that moment, the decline of Cortina’s first cable car began, which was finally closed in 1975.
Its reactivation, integrated with contemporary technologies, could have strengthened local identity and met modern mobility needs in a landscape-friendly manner. Cortina would have had a very useful ski lift right in the center of town, providing access to the Tofane ski area.
The Apollonio-Socrepes project: a questionable choice?
In stark contrast to Baron Franchetti’s harmonious vision, the new Apollonio-Socrepes project has raised much criticism in the local community. The main concerns include:
- High costs and doubts about financial sustainability.
- Potentially negative environmental and landscape impacts.
- Lack of integration with Cortina’s history and identity.
- The disturbing choice to build on an active, constantly moving landslide, as all Cortina residents well know.
- Lack of transparency in decision-making processes.
Many Ampezzans see this project as short-sighted and disconnected from local heritage and needs, in stark contrast to Baron Franchetti’s forward-looking and harmonious approach. To read more, click here.
Extraordinary episodes in the baron’s life
Baron Franchetti was not only a visionary entrepreneur and a promoter of Alpine tourism but also a fascinating figure, the protagonist of singular and almost fictional episodes.
– An encounter with Luis Trenker: In November 1918, just after the end of the Great War, Captain Carlo Franchetti was advancing with a private Lancia in the newly liberated territories. On a climb, the car stopped because the radiator overheated. He was assisted by a young demobilized Austrian soldier, Luis Trenker, a future director and actor who would later symbolize the epic of the Dolomites.
Franchetti took him on board, and together, they continued their journey. During that journey, he saw the Ampezzo basin for the first time and said to himself, “I will plant cable cars here.”
– Mountaineer: He was an excellent mountaineer and prolific author, having written numerous articles dedicated to hiking, caving, and even a climbing guidebook. Among his many climbing routes in Cortina, I would like to mention the third repeat of the Dimai Crack on the Great Tower of the Five Towers.
– Night climb to the Dente del Gigante: During the Great War, Franchetti climbed the Dente del Gigante alone at night from Courmayeur, and once at the summit, he lit a lantern to signal the success of the feat.
– Wolves in Abruzzo National Park: In another extreme feat, he recounted crossing Abruzzo National Park on skis in winter. During one night in the bivouac, he was forced to stay up with his companions, beating his skis to keep the wolves away.
– An educated and humorous gentleman: he studied at Oxford and possessed a brilliant sense of humor. This quality made him not only respected but also loved by those who frequented him.
Conclusion
Baron Franchetti was a pioneer who combined a passion for the mountains, an entrepreneurial spirit, and cultural sensitivity. His contribution left a lasting imprint on Cortina, paving the way for development that today is in danger of being forgotten.
On September 28, 1955, a trivial car accident tragically interrupted a life entirely dedicated to the progress, beauty, and sharing of the Dolomite territory. But what the baron built, by his works and by his example, continues to speak today to those who know how to listen.
In an era where development risks being driven solely by economic urgency, looking to the past with intelligence can offer valuable keys to building a more balanced, respectful, and deeply Ampezzo future.
