Day19: Gardonne again. Italy

We visited Il Vittoriale Delhi Italiani today.

Briefly it’s a massive piece of very hilly land with its own river and gorge.

Gabriella d’ Annunzio , a not very good poet apparently , rented the house on the land and had opportunity to buy it cheap. So he did!

He had a massive collection of bits including pictures, statues, war memorabilia, furniture, aeroplane… which he scattered around the estate which was built , designed and landscaped by an Architect called Moreno who continued to champion the project after the death of the poet.

Still with me?

The place became a national treasure and was sponsored by Mussolini and State organisations!!

The picture shows the Blue Horse by Paladino looking out , across Lake Garda, from the 20th century ‘ Amphitheatre’ part of the Poet vision and completed after his death.

Phew!!