Inaugurated in 1938 after three years of work directed by the climber Attilio Tissi, the refuge is dedicated to Maria Vittoria Torrani. After suffering severe damage during the flood of 1966, it was reopened in 1976 and subsequently renovated in 1991. Since 1978, it has also been connected to the valley by a cable car.
The refuge is located along the normal route to Mount Civetta, about half an hour from the summit, and can be reached through various hiking trails and via ferratas from the Val di Zoldo and Val Corpassa. The location allows for direct immersion in the high mountain environment of the Dolomites, in a context mainly dedicated to hikers and climbers.