The Inviolata’s secret passage? It was a water conduit for the friars

The alleged secret passage in the Church of the Inviolata in Riva del Garda was not an escape route for nobles or spies, but a system for bringing water into the religious complex. This reconstruction was presented by Luca Bertolini during an in-depth session on the history of the monument and the role of Giannangelo Gaudenzio Madruzzo and his wife Alfonsina Gonzaga.

Among the stories associated with the Baroque church is that of an underground gallery supposedly linking the Inviolata premises with the Bastione. The existence of underground tunnels has in fact been confirmed, but their purpose was different from the one handed down by the legend.

The construction of the church was strongly supported and financed by Madruzzo, captain of the Rocca of Riva del Garda, and his wife Gonzaga. The monument and the adjoining convent were entrusted to the Gerolamini friars, who followed a strict rule of enclosure and were therefore organised to live without contact with the outside world.

An underground well supplied by water from Maso Ronch was incorporated into the subterranean rooms. The water was channelled through buried conduits to the Inviolata complex, ensuring an essential resource for the religious community.

The tunnels were therefore an engineering solution for water management incorporated into the architecture of the complex, not a hidden route intended for escape. The story of the secret passage thus retains the fascination of a legend, but its documented explanation lies in the management of the water supply.