Museo della Grande Guerra

Small municipal museum with demilitarised weapons, documents and testimonies of the First World War, next to a bunker from 1915–1918.

Opening hours unknown

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About the museum

In 1995, during urbanisation works in the residential area known as Seragli in Chiuppano, a fully buried structure from the First World War came to light: a fortified bunker, one of the first examples of concrete construction. It stood beside the Thiene–Arsiero railway and served as a store for weapons and materials for the front on the Altopiani (Asiago plateaus).

The municipal administration decided to preserve the military archaeology site, making it accessible to the public and securing the area. A room in the nearby building complex was set aside as a museum to explain the function of the structure and to display the many war relics still found in the area.

In 1999 management of the museum was entrusted to the local Associazione dei Fanti (Infantrymen's Association), which had for some time been collecting period material and had received a major donation from the family of Mario Maddalena, an enthusiastic collector of finds from Thiene. Thanks to later bequests, the association can make demilitarised weapons, documents and testimonies of the First World War available to the public, especially schools.

Highlights

Fortified bunker from the First World War, rediscovered in 1995
Demilitarised weapons and war relics
Documents and testimonies from 1915–1918
Donation from the family of Mario Maddalena