Il Vittoriale degli Italiani ( shrine to Italian victories ) has been created by a poet, Gabriele d’Annunzio on a hill in Gardone Riviera overlooking Lake Garda.
Il Vittoriale degli Italiani
Originally it was a site of Villa Cargnacco, a residence of German art historian Henry Thode, which was overtaken by Italian Government as payment for war damages.
In 1921 d’Annunzio bought from the State the building with whole interior, which include Steinway piano used by Liszt, Wagner manuscripts and a huge collection of rare books.
The collection became the base of a library, opened for public in 1958.
Today the library contains over 33 000 volumes enlarged ocassionally by private collector’s gifts and contributions of publisher Mondradori.
Gabriele d’Annunzio has stayed in there till his death in 1938 and gradually converted his residence into a big citadel symbolic protecting the border of a young country.
His collection of Italian artifacts varies from earth from sites of great Italian battles to airplane used in 1918 and anti-submarine vessel Puglia donated to d’annunzio by the Royal Navy.
To visit is the poet’s residence called Prioria and war items collection in Museo della Guerra.
Opening hours
Daily except Mon
9.00-17.00 ( Oct – Mar )
8.30- 20.00 ( Apr – Sep)
25083 Gardone Riviera (Brescia)
phone: +39 0365 296511
[ photo courtesy of photoverulam]
