Via al Vittoriale, 12, 25083 Gardone Riviera BS
A hymn to beauty in the heart of Gardone Riviera, a stop in history set among elegant gardens, not to be missed by anyone visiting Lake Garda in any season.
GARDONE RIVIERA
Along the charming Gardesana road that runs along the western coast of Lake Garda, just a few minutes' drive from the Gulf of Salò, you come to Gardone Riviera, a jewel town which from the surrounding slopes, populated by elegant Art Nouveau villas and luxuriant gardens in bloom, extends up to the romantic labyrinth of alleys in the center, along the shores of the lake.
Among the main attractions of Gardone Riviera is the famous Vittoriale degli Italiani, one of the most important museums and mausoleums on the Italian scene, which was built between 1921 and 1938 as a monument-home for the charismatic Gabriele D'Annunzio, who fell in love with these places after a brief diplomatic stay.
A MONUMENT HOME
Designed in every detail by the poet himself and his architect friend Giancarlo Moroni, the complex is made up of several buildings spread over the various levels of the majestic park, characterized by small valleys, sculptural gardens and waterways, an amphitheater, a ship, and creative works of art, some made by the Poet himself, others collected during the many trips dedicated to his ventures.
Defined by D'Annunzio himself as "a book of living stones", the Vittoriale represents a story made of love, architecture, art and poetry, built to celebrate the great exploits of the Italian people during the First World War, and undoubtedly the imaginative how passionate personality of the Poet-Soldier.
Every brick of the Vittoriale, every tree in its park, and every object kept inside are part of a finely represented story, an experience for visitors of total immersion in the atmosphere of the residence of the time, with its illustrious guests and intellectual exercises.
THE VISITS
Visits to the monument can last hours or several days, for so much is the fascination that this place is able to generate for its visitor, and they include the Mausoleum, the tomb of the Vate placed on the top of the park, and every space of the buildings thought and designed for a particular moment or activity of the Poet’s Day.
We then visit the Prioria, the last home of Gabriele d'Annunzio, described by himself as follows: "Everything here shows the imprints of my style in the sense that I want to give to my style". The painted windows, the windows with heavy curtains, the soft lights in the rooms, make the Prioria a mysterious and evocative place, where around 10,000 objects and 33,000 books are kept.
You then cross the Music Room, the place where the poet loved to listen to the songs of Luisa Baccara, a musician and his last lover, and you come across the Officina again, the "worker's studio of the word", as it used to be defined.
Passing through the Veranda dell'Apollino and the Corridor of the Labyrinth, you reach the charming park of the villa, which occupies a large part of the space of the Vittoriale, meticulously designed in every detail between alleys, viewpoints, and small squares. We reach the orchard so loved by the poet, designed on the basis of Renaissance gardens and surrounded by stone animals and lilies, and, continuing the visit, we arrive at a classic example of a traditional lemon house of these lands, where the poet strolled among the citrus trees, which he celebrated so much in his works.
The Vittoriale Amphitheater, one of the most evocative in the world for the spectacle of its panorama, is at the center of the park, and for several years during the summer it has hosted Tener-a-mente , an important series of concerts with the most famous international musicians.
The Vittoriale degli Italiani is truly a place full of surprises, perfect for a day to discover the history and beauty of Lake Garda.
The Museum is open all year round and there is an entrance fee.
