Custoza
The Custoza Ossuary: Welcome to the Historical Monument
Welcome to the Custoza Ossuary, a historical monument located on top of the Belvedere hill in Custoza, belonging to the municipality of Sommacampagna, in the province of Verona. This place is surrounded by the beautiful morainic hills of Lake Garda, offering a 360 ° view of the Po Valley, the Euganean Hills and the Berici Hills, the Carega group, the Lessinia, Mount Baldo, Lake Garda, the Bresciane and Gardesane Prealps and the Alps of Lombardy and Trentino-Alto Adige.
The History of the Ossuary
The Custoza Ossuary was built thanks to the idea of the parish priest of Custoza, Don Gaetano Pivatelli, supported by a committee that included the Mayor of Verona, Giulio Camuzzoni, the poet Aleardo Aleardi and the politician Angelo Messedaglia. It was inaugurated in 1879 in the presence of Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, and representatives of the Habsburg Empire. The monument houses the remains of soldiers from both the Italian and Austrian army, the latter also composed of Venetian soldiers, who died in the two battles of Custoza, in 1848 and 1866.
The Structure of the Monument
The Custoza Ossuary has an octagonal plan and consists of three parts: the balcony, the chapel and the crypt. The balcony, located about 13 meters high, can be reached by an internal staircase. Inside, there is a room that preserves the objects excavated during the excavations carried out to unearth the remains of the soldiers. The chapel, on the other hand, houses four gravestones, two Italian and two Austrian, with the names of the officers and non-commissioned officers who fell in the battles of 1848 and 1866. Above the altar of the chapel, there is a photograph of the parish priest Don Gaetano Pivatelli, the inspirer of the Ossuary. Finally, in the crypt are preserved the remains of 1894 fallen soldiers and some glass urns that contain the remains of Italian officers Luigi Giordanelli, Stefano Messaggi and Carlo Alberi.
The Custodian's House
The Custodian's House is a building adjacent to the monument, built in 1879. It was the home of the custodians until 2010. In 2018, new exhibition spaces were inaugurated inside, which tell the story of the battle of 1866 and the history of the Custoza Ossuary with the help of multimedia resources. One room is also dedicated to temporary exhibitions such as "The Oliosi Gravestone. For the Flag's Saviors" in 2018 and "Lorenz M.1854. The Detail in History" in 2019.
Other Projects and External Links
The Custoza Ossuary is a place of great historical and cultural importance, which deserves to be visited and appreciated for its beauty and history. Among the future projects are the implementation of new multimedia technologies and the realization of excellent exhibitions to always meet the needs of visitors from all over the world. For further information and details on guided tours and admission tickets, please visit the monument's website.
