Half Day at Lake Garda
THE VITTORIALE
The Vittoriale degli Italiani, in Gardone Riviera, has been the last Gabriele D'Annunzio’ s residence. Remarkable monument indeed, defined as the citadel that rises within a spectacular landscape!
Surrounded by walls, this property covers about nine hectares, a complex monument, composed, in addition to D'Annunzio’s house, a certain number of buildings, a large theatre, avenues, squares, gardens and parks, with fountains, rivers and an artificial lake.
The park is the heart of Vittoriale complex and it is divided in monumental, natural and private gardens.
The main entrance is a portal with two arches and between them there’s the motto:” I have what I donated!”
The Monumental complex is a discovery of the Italian History through objects such as the beautiful cars Isotta Fraschini and Fiat Tipo 4, D’Annunzio used to conquer the city of Fiume on 12th September 1919, the SVA 10 biplane in which he flew from Padua to Vienna on 9th August 1918 in order to bombard the city with leaflets announcing the Italian Victory.Climbing the park, an hangar houses the MAS 96 (Motoscafo Anti Sommergibile or Motor Torpedo Boat), here to remind the “ Beffa di Buccari”, between 10th and 11th February 1918, when D’Annunzio (together with other soldiers), entered the enemy bay of Buccari (Bakar not far from Fiume – Rijeka) to sink Austrian ships, but they didn’t found anything.Another curious object is the so called Ship Puglia, embedded in the hill with the prow facing the eastern side of the lake, towards the Adriatic Sea, because the Captain died in Split. On the top of the hill, the Mausoleum, where D’Annunzio is buried together with the heroes of Fiume. The private gardens of the Prioria complete the historical itinerary.
The private gardens have been realized, at the very beginning, by the architect Gian Carlo Maroni and they are important because of the presence of the boulders from Grappa Mount and surroundings where the First World War took place, and also because of the presence of Arengo, where D’Annunzio assembled his soldiers from Fiume to commemorate victories. From that, the name: “Vittoriale”.
The visit is completed with the entrance to Prioria, the poet’s real residence. (Only with an internal guide in small groups of no more than 10 visitors, entering every 8 minutes) …
(Entrance € 16,00 p.p. with reduction for groups, minimum 15 people, at € 13,00 p.p. – The ticket includes the visit to Prioria, that has to be booked calling the number 0365.29.65.11)
