The Vittoriale degli Italiani: the foundation dedicated to Italy

The famous writer and poet Gabriele D'Annunzio is the man of letters responsible for the construction of the "Vittoriale degli Italiani". With this expression, we refer to a brilliant complex of buildings and streets, built in 1921 and decorated with gardens and waterways.

D'Annunzio chose the shores of Lake Garda, in particular Gardone Riviera, attracted by the beauty of the landscape and the local inhabitants. He entrusted the construction to the architect Gian Carlo Maroni, with the desire to create something capable of celebrating the achievements of the Italians during the First World War.

The name chosen for the complex of buildings celebrates the victory of Italy, fully demonstrating D'Annunzio's patriotic spirit and his desire for glory.

The entrance to the Vittoriale

As anticipated, the construction of the Vittoriale degli Italiani dates back to 1921. Gian Carlo Maroni took almost eighteen years to complete the project, revolutionizing the existing spaces and adapting them to the tastes of the new owner (D'Annunzio).

Today, the complex has been transformed into a completely open foundation that welcomes more than two hundred thousand Italian and foreign tourists every year.

Upon arrival, the first element that catches the eye of the passerby is the entrance door. Two huge arches are connected by a stone fountain, on the top of which is a quotation from one of D'Annunzio's most famous books, The Secret Book: "Inside this triple circle of walls, where translated, that book is already in living stones religious that I thought I was in charge of the rites of the country and the Latin victors called Il Vittoriale".

The arches of the entrance lead to two different paths. The first leads to the Prioress, the home of Gabriele D'Annunzio, while the second allows you to reach the gardens and terraces overlooking the lake.

The exterior of the Villa

The outside of the Vittoriale is littered with relics that D'Annunzio collected over the years. Statues and works by famous authors tell and celebrate Italy and its victories.

Among the most unique and unimaginable objects, we must mention the submarine MAS 96, the military ship Puglia, and the SVA aircraft. Pieces of history that, without the intervention of the poet, would have been destroyed and lost forever.

Richly decorated gardens, the Portico del Parente dedicated to Michelangelo, and a huge amphitheater overlooking the lake complete the picture. Every year the amphitheater hosts important musical events, enhanced by the beauty of the landscape and the lake itself.

In the highest part of the Vittoriale is the Mausoleum, a funerary monument dedicated to D'Annunzio. It is here that his remains are kept as a permanent reminder of his life.

The inner rooms

The interior of the complex has an impressive number of rooms, each dedicated to a different activity. Among the most beautiful there is certainly the music room, dedicated to chamber concerts, and the room of the globe, a huge library full of volumes from all over the world.

D'Annunzio's private room is known as the "Stanza della Leda", thanks to the presence of an imposing plaster statue positioned at the entrance. The statue represents Leda, the young girl loved by Zeus who turned into a swan.

The environment is completed by the Apollino Veranda, an additional space also created by Carlo Maroni. Paintings by famous Italian Renaissance artists decorate the high walls, along with the particular collection of porcelain animals that D'Annunzio kept on a special table.