Museo del Risorgimento di Solferino e San Martino
Museum complex on the hill of San Martino della Battaglia with a Risorgimento museum, monumental tower and ossuary chapel, plus a site in Solferino.
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About the museum
The museum commemorates the battle of 24 June 1859, fought at San Martino and Solferino during the Second War of Independence between the Franco-Piedmontese and the Austrian armies. On the highest hill of San Martino stands the monumental tower, begun in 1880 and inaugurated on 15 October 1893 in the presence of King Umberto I; it was built through a national subscription in honour of Victor Emmanuel II and of the fallen of the wars of independence.
Behind the tower is the museum, set up in 1939, with three rooms devoted to relics of the battle and to other moments of the Risorgimento. Nearby is the ossuary chapel, inaugurated in 1870, which holds the remains of fallen soldiers of every nationality. The complex is run by the Società Solferino e San Martino, which also looks after the Solferino sites.
The internal route of the tower, decorated with bronze statues and frescoes, leads to a panoramic terrace over the plain below. In Solferino, in the Comune of Solferino (MN), a second site includes the Rocca (fortress), a museum at the foot of the park, the ossuary church and the Red Cross memorial.
Highlights
- Museum with cannons, weapons, uniforms and paintings of the 1859 battle
- Monumental tower with bronze statues, frescoes and panoramic terrace
- Ossuary chapel with the remains of fallen soldiers of both armies
- Solferino site with the Rocca and the Red Cross memorial
Permanent exhibitions
- Museo di San Martino – Three rooms with relics, documents, cannons, weapons, uniforms, maps and paintings of the battle of 24 June 1859.
- Torre monumentale di San Martino – Internal route through seven rooms with bronze statues and frescoes on the Risorgimento, leading to the panoramic terrace.
- Founded
- 1939
- Operated by
- Società Solferino e San Martino
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €8young people aged 11 to 18, over-65s and groups |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 10 · Free admission up to age 10. |
| Groups | €8 per personReduced rate for groups. |
| Solferino: Rocca and museum | €8Reduced €6; valid 7 days from issue |
| Single ticket for San Martino and Solferino | €12Valid 30 days from issue |
The San Martino ticket includes the museum and the tower.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Nearest railway stations: Desenzano del Garda and Mantua.
By car: A4 Milan–Venice motorway, exit Sirmione/Desenzano del Garda. Airports of Verona and Montichiari.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
There is a bookshop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | MP3 audio guides downloadable from the website and a route with QR codes. For groups, with or without a guide, booking is made via the online form or by phone at +39 030 991 0370. For schools, guided visits, historical walks, workshops and the project “Il Risorgimento nello zaino” (The Risorgimento in the Backpack) are offered. |
