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TIMMELSJOCH PASS

AUSTRIA & ITALY

IMAGE NUMBER 1055

The Timmelsjoch pass (Passo del Rombo in Italian) is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.509m that creates a link through the Ötztal Alps along the border between Austria and Italy. It's one of the highest asphalted roads in the Alps. The road is difficult and it’s a nightmare in the wet or dark. In the late 19th century the construction of a High Alpine Road was considered and the project was eventually realized in the mid 1950s. With construction work only possible from May to November the road was finally opened in July 1959 on the Austrian side. However, the connection to Italy was only finished in 1968. The pass road is an indispensable connection between North and South Tyrol. Work began in the 1930's when Hitler and Mussolini meet at the border at the top of the pass to agree to fund the project. There is a small museum at the top commemorating the construction.

This image shows the view towards Italy from the top of the pass. It is an extraordinary place. The road on the Italian side is truly hair-raising.

TECHNICAL NOTES

The image was taken with a tripod-mounted Phase One 645XF Camera at ISO 50. Exposure of 1/50th of a second and an aperture of F14. Schneider Kreuznach 45mm lens with leaf shutter.   The image was captured on a Phase One IQ3 100 megapixel digital back.