Rome, Italy
The Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino
in Trastevere
As we will often underline in our articles, Rome is a city rich in a thousand-year history that began from the time of Ancient Rome and then proceeded with the dominion of the Popes up to the current era of the Italian Republic.
The passage of time and history, therefore, has left a large number of monuments and testimonies on the territory of Rome and these are also present in Trastevere.
In today’s article, we will tell you about the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino, a historical monument that stands in this district on the Janiculum and which has a really interesting history.
Are you ready to discover this monument too? Then continue reading this article and find out more about the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino.
What is the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino?
The Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino is a monument which, as mentioned, stands on the Gianicolo hill in Rome. Not everyone knows that in this place, in 1849, there was the last defence of the Roman Republic (proclaimed in February of that year), so this monument was built to celebrate the fallen in the battles of Rome Capital that took place until 1870.
The Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino was designed by the architect Giovanni Jacobucci and was inaugurated in 1941.
The history of the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino
The desire to remember the people who fell for the defense of Rome manifested itself already after the breach of Porta Pia in 1870 and, for this reason, a provisional sepulchral was erected in 1879 remembered by an unnamed plaque.
In the burial ground, by royal order, the bones of all those who fought for the defense of Rome were collected.
The place, however, fell into neglect until about 1930, when Ezio Garibaldi, an Italian politician and military man, took the fate of the place to heart and proposed to the government the construction of the mausoleum that we can still admire today.
The Architectural Features of the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino
If we were to observe the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino with a profane eye, the first words that would come to mind would be:
- Peace
- Austerity
- Simplicity
- Sacredness
These are the sensations that an ordinary person feels when observing the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino and its shining marbles, its symmetry and the peace of the territory that surrounds this sepulchral monument.
However, if we take a closer look at the monument, we will notice careful celebratory work that exudes Romanism from every angle.
Looking closely, in fact, we will notice the Capitoline Wolf with the S.P.Q.R. cartouche, the imperial eagle, legionary insignia and many other symbols that refer to Ancient Rome and that indicate how the Roman Republic was inspired by it.
Also, inside and in the shrine, this hymn to ancient Roman times is repeated and all this accompanies the tombstones on which the names of the over 1,600 fallen in the aforementioned battles are written.
The Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino is, in short, a feast for the eyes that deserves to be visited and admired.
How to visit the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino
Although the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino is not a place of worship, even in this case we recommend that you approach this monument with the utmost respect. The Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino, in fact, is a place where the remains of people who died for an important cause rest, so it is necessary to have due respect for this place and for what it represents.
That said, if you want to visit the Garibaldino Ossuary, you should know that it is only open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30h. to 18:30h.
Admission is free and, if you have any doubts or curiosities to ask about the Garibaldino Ossuary, you can ask any of your questions to the volunteers of the Universal Civil Service that you will find at the Mausoleum.
To reach the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino you have to follow the signs for Via Garibaldi and you will find it. It will take a few minutes on foot, otherwise you can take a taxi. There is no public transport that will take you directly to the Mausoleo Ossario Garibaldino.