Torre dei Caduti

At the centre of the tower, positioned between the clock and large window, is a statue of Victory, completed in 1923. After several surveys and submitted designs, the selection committee decided to award the work to the Bergamo sculptor Alfredo Faino (1885-1944). Initially the sculpture was to be made in Zandobbio stone, but later bronze was chosen. It’s an allegory of Victorious Italy: the woman depicted, dressed in battle clothes, holds Victory in her right hand, while in her left is a sword in a resting position.

Now displayed on the fifth floor of the tower, this mechanism once operated the external two-dial clock. The Chevilles escapement, also known as the ‘pin wheel escapement’, with pins perpendicular to the plane of the escapement wheel instead of traditional teeth, is a unique technical detail. Invented in the early 18^th century, it was widely used because it was robust and required very little maintenance. Using the ‘continuous chain’ method, it kept time even during the winding phase, which was carried out every twelve hours. As the company that held the patent for the automatic winding of tower clocks in Italy, Cavalier Giovanni Frassoni was the most important manufacturer in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

The audio system that was used at the Memorial Tower assembles components made by various brands in different years. The loudspeaker was used to broadcast music and speeches to the square below. The LESA-brand turntable is the VE1 model, produced from 1940 to 1948. The radio and amplifier are by the Condor company of Milan. The loudspeaker itself bears the Geloso trademark and appears in the 1953 catalogue. The ‘lily’ shape and the materials used were specially designed for outdoor set-ups. The maximum power of the system was 50 watts.