Vittoriano
Altar of the Fatherland
The story of the Altar of the Fatherland in nine acts
I
The origins
The decorative programme in the original project by Giuseppe Sacconi
II
The idea of the Altar of the Fatherland
Giuseppe Sacconi plans to transform the central area into a large secular altar dedicated to the nation and its values
III
The 1908 competition
Amid many uncertainties, the decoration of the future Altar of the Fatherland gets underway
IV
The victory of Angelo Zanelli
Thanks to a plebiscite, a young artist from Brescia managed to beat the other twenty-five far more well-known colleagues
V
A long gestation
After achieving victory, Zanelli took over fourteen years to complete the decoration of the Altar of the Fatherland
VI
The invention of the Unknown Soldier
The Altar of the Fatherland houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
VII
The burial ceremony of the Unknown Soldier
The Altar of the Fatherland becomes the sepulchral monument of the Nation
VIII
The Altar of the Fatherland in the Fascist era and the arrangement of Armando Brasini
A cornerstone of the regime's propaganda, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes on a double significance, both secular and religious
IX
The Altar of the Fatherland today, the legacy of a "united, independent, free and democratic Italy"
The Monument’s post-war misfortune and its recovery thanks to the Presidency of the Republic
