A bell that remembers the fallen of all wars. Every day in Rovereto you can hear the sound of Maria Dolens
A visit to Rovereto is not complete without admiring Maria Dolens, the peace bell that tolls several times every day in memory of the fallen of all wars.
This town in the autonomous province of Trento is known to most for one of the classic Christmas markets, but it is also a historical memory of the horror of all wars.
The visit to the city
The tour itinerary in Rovereto starts from Corso Rosmini, the nineteenth-century axis that leads to Piazza Rosmini, home to the Cassa di Risparmio building, an elegant building in a neo-Renaissance style rich in frescoes. When it was built by the Del Ben family, or Del Bene, it was a building outside the walls. Purchased by the municipality, it was also a post office, before becoming part of the properties of the Cassa di Risparmio di Trento and Rovereto. In the nearby Piazza Battisti, you can admire the fountain of Neptune. On the square stands the Bontadi coffee, with its historic roasting, one of the oldest in Italy.
The historic center is full of narrow streets and characteristic streets full of shops and craft shops, which open onto Via Mercerie. Then Piazza Erbe, Piazza Malfatti, also known as Piazza del Grano, and finally the Via dei Portici, which leads to the Castle which houses the rooms of the Italian Historical Museum of the Great War.
Not far away is the Forbato bridge that crosses the Leno. Along the banks, between the houses is the Casa dei Turchi. Venetian-era building with unique wooden balconies.
One of the access gates to Rovereto is that of the Civic Tower, built in 1519. Also worth visiting is the Church of San Marco, which is distinguished by the large lion on the facade, a symbol of Venetian domination in the city. The church building is a typical example of Baroque art. The ceiling is entirely frescoed.
The MART, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, one of the most important in Europe, with its rich collections, is worth a visit.
The bell of the fallen of all wars
Maria Dolens was built in Trento in 1924, casting the bronze of the guns of the nations that participated in the First World War. It is the largest bell in the world that rings out. It was born on the idea of Don Antonio Rossaro and with the name of Maria Dolens, it was placed on the Malipiero tower of the Castle of Rovereto.
In 1939 it was cast a second time, then in 1960, due to a serious crack, it was brought back to the workshop to be fixed. The current bell was blessed by Pope Paul VI and placed on the Miravalle hill, from where it dominates the city of Rovereto. Its hundred strokes echo every day.
The area where the Bell of the Fallen is located is also a museum in which there is a permanent photographic exhibition and where you can see a short video on the history of the bell.
From the bell area, you can reach the nearby monumental shrine of Castel Dante. Inside are the remains of twenty thousand soldiers.
How do I get to Rovereto?
Rovereto can be reached by car from the Brenner motorway, towards Bolzano or by rail, the station is on the Verona-Brennero line
