The mountains surrounding the Tonale pass were, in fact, the scene of battles during the First World War: a monumental shrine built in the 1930s now houses the remains of over 800 Italian and Austro-Hungarian fallen... #tuttitaly
The Passo del Tonale, between the Val Camonica and the Val di Sole, represents a vital border point between Lombardy and Trentino-Alto Adige. During World War I, the mountains surrounding the pass were the scene of fighting between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops.
To commemorate the fall of this "White War," the Military Shrine of Passo del Tonale was built in the 1930s. This imposing monument houses the remains of over 800 Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers.
The bodies of the Italians come from various abandoned military cemeteries in the area. In contrast, the bodies of the Austro-Hungarians and the remains of unidentified soldiers emerged from the glacier in 1964.
The structure of the Shrine is characterized by steps that lead to the crypt's entrance, where the faces of four soldiers are sculpted. Inside the crypt are the niches of the fallen, an altar, a statue of the Risen Christ, and a depiction of the Virgin Mary in prayer.
Outside, a semicircular structure with two arched staircases leads to a terrace with a bronze statue depicting Winged Victory.
The symbolic meaning of the entire shrine is evident in its structure, which divides the lower part, which is dedicated to purity and mourning, from the more monumental upper part, which celebrates the Italian victory in the Great War.
During the conflict, the Passo del Tonale was the scene of a military action known as the "avalanche action."
The Austrians invaded the pass after bombarding the Italian soldiers, but the enemies were repelled thanks to the Alpini and the Italians' resistant artillery. Subsequently, Monte Pasubio became the site of further clashes until the Italian victory.
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