Some months ago, I
visited the site of the Battle of Solferino, a battle in the Italian War of Independence
that indirectly led to the founding of the red Cross and the Geneva Convention.
This time, whilst
I was near here for work, I took a couple of hours off to visit the site of the
Battle of San Martino, where the Italians fought a bloody frontal battle with
the Austrians.
Like Solferino
which took place at the same time, it was a battle that took place almost by
accident and the question of “who won” is open to debate. The Austrians
withdrew at the end of the day, leaving an exhausted Savoyard army unable to give chase.
A huge tower was built
to celebrate the battle and you can climb to the top via a spiralling internal
ramp. There is also a little museum where the letters of soldiers who died in
the battle contrast with the patriotic slogans on the walls.
Nearby, there is the Ossuary
where the sculls and bones of the fallen decorate a little chapel. The effect is quite unsettling.
I finished my visit to
san Marino with a visit to a local vineyard to buy some wine.
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| The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS, |
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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The Battle of San Martino Monument, San Martino della Battaglia BS,
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| The Battle of San Martino Museum, San Martino della Battaglia BS |
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The Battle of San Martino Museum, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Museum, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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The Battle of San Martino Ossuary, San Martino della Battaglia BS
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