“The monumental Bell of the Fallen was placed on Rovereto Castle, which has seen so many cruel battles and which flew over the trenches of Serravalle the white flag of armistice that put an end to the Great War. The bell should remain forever on Rovereto Castle, as a daily commemoration of the historic events and the Dead of the Great War,

who fell in combat, as each fought for an exalted ideal.


The thinking that yielded this symbol of sublime brotherhood springs from the Roman tradition of our land and the universality of the Roman Catholic Church, both of which are the glory and pride of the Italian Nation; such a monument, therefore, could only be erected by our own country, Italy.


1. The Bell of the Fallen, baptised with the name of Maria Dolens by the Prince-Bishop of Trento, Monsignor Endrici, on 24 May 1925, with HRH the Queen Mother Margherita of Savoy acting as patroness, is dedicated solely to all the Fallen of the First World War and for them only should it be rung;,; therefore its use in any other circumstance is totally forbidden.

2. The Bell of the Fallen will be rung every evening at Nightfall, an ancient and civilised Italian custom to honour the departed.

3. After its usual tolling, the Bell will ring several more times in commemoration, within the shared remembrance of all the Fallen, of those of each individual Nation once a year, according to the following calendar: 9 January: the Turkish Fallen; 22 March: the Russian Fallen; 9 April: the Portuguese Fallen; 30 May: the American Fallen; 15 June: the Czechoslovakian Fallen; 27 June the Montenegrin Fallen; 22 August: the German Fallen; 30 August: the Austro-Hungarian Fallen: 11 September: the French Fallen; 22 October: the Belgian Fallen; 29 October: the British Fallen; 4 November: the Italian Fallen; 7 November: the Japanese Fallen; 27 November: the Bulgarian Fallen; 1 December: the Romanian Fallen; 3 December: the Serbian Fallen.

4. The Bell of the Fallen will not be rung on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

5. The Bell of the Fallen is managed by a Trust, consisting of the following members: a delegate from the Municipality; the Parish Priests of Rovereto; the President of the local Congregazione di Carità, as owner of the Castle; the President of the Italian War Museum; the President of the Gastel Dante Ossuary.

6. The President of the Trust will be elected every three years from the members of the Trust itself. The President may serve only one additional term.

7. The Trust will be supplemented by a Committee with several members, from which it will choose the Bursar, the Registrar and the custodian of the Bell of the Fallen Archive and Hall, dedicated to guiding spirit Carla Della Beffa, and which will always remain the property of the Trust.

8. Any disputes regarding the Bell of the Fallen which are not satisfactorily resolved by the Trust will be decided without recourse to appeal by a panel of arbitration consisting of the Prefect of the Province, the Commander of the local military station and the Prince-Bishop of Trento, who will act as President."

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