Bardolino reaches out to the Vittoriale: “Its restoration should become a Lake Garda project”

The Municipality of Bardolino is standing alongside the Vittoriale degli Italiani after the damage caused by the severe storms that hit Gardone Riviera in recent weeks. Mayor Daniele Bertasi has announced that the issue will be brought to the working meetings for Bardolino’s bid to become Italian Capital of Culture 2029, with the aim of supporting the restoration and enhancement of one of Lake Garda’s landmark sites.

The torrential storm brought down numerous historic cypress trees and caused landslides, flooding and serious damage to some of the Vittoriale’s most representative structures, including the mainmast of the Puglia ship. Major works will be needed to restore the site and make the area safe.

“The Vittoriale is much more than a cultural and tourist attraction,” Bertasi says. “It is one of the defining symbols of Lake Garda, a heritage site that belongs to all the communities along the lake.” In the mayor’s view, the response cannot be left solely to the bodies directly involved; it must become a shared challenge for the entire Lake Garda system.

Bardolino intends to bring the Vittoriale’s situation into the discussions already launched for the cultural bid, involving institutions, associations, professionals, cultural operators and other local organisations. The municipality says the project has already received support and expressions of interest from administrations and institutions across all three shores of Lake Garda.

The proposals also include involving the business community and private individuals, together with tools such as the Art Bonus tax incentive. Garda Unico – VisitGarda and other institutional bodies could take part in the process, with the aim of turning the restoration of the complex into one of the flagship projects of a Lake Garda region committed to protecting its shared cultural heritage.