Italian
German
The Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
- Category What see Lake Garda and Verona
The Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
Number of views: 6374Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
- The Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
- What to see at the Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
- San Martino della Battaglia Tower (Video)
The Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
The hamlet of San Martino della Battaglia (province of Brescia) lies just a few kilometres from Desenzano del Garda and is among the most visited historic spots on the Lake Garda shore. Whatever direction you approach from, you cannot miss the monumental Tower rising above the Lugana vineyards and moraine hills.
Built between 1880 and 1893 to honour King Victor Emmanuel II and the soldiers who fought for Italian unification, the San Martino Tower has become an enduring symbol of the Risorgimento. An ample car park sits right in front of the complex; alternative parking is available along the quiet access road.
Visitors can explore three main sites: the monumental park, the Ossuary (free entry, housing the remains of some 2,600 French‑Piedmontese and Austrian soldiers) and the Tower‑Museum, accessible with a single ticket that also covers the adjacent exhibition halls. At 64 m tall, the tower rewards you with a full 360° vista from the roof terrace; the ascent follows a gently sloping spiral ramp—no steps—lined with dramatic frescoes depicting key Risorgimento battles.
What to see at the Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
After the ticket office you enter a landscaped garden. The massive lower drum—22 m in diameter and nearly 20 m high—is crowned with Ghibelline battlements. Inside the entrance hall stands a bronze statue of Victor Emmanuel II while Verdi’s “Va’ pensiero” plays softly in the background.
Ascending the ramp you pass four diorama rooms filled with original relics: Garibaldian uniforms, Piedmontese sabres, Austrian percussion rifles, tactical maps, letters and early photographs. Artillery fragments retrieved from the nearby battlefields of San Martino and Solferino are displayed in external alcoves.
The panoramic terrace, protected by crenellated walls, supports a soaring flagpole with the tricolour. From here you enjoy sweeping views of the Po plain, shimmering Lake Garda and, on clear days, the Adamello range. A multilingual audio guide (advance request) enriches the climb with anecdotes about the 1859 battle, re‑enacted every year on the last weekend of June with hundreds of costumed participants.
