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Picture of the Tempio Ossario taken from the front.
The “tempio ossario” is a very important monument in Udine. It is located in “piazzale XXVI Luglio” in front of the monument to the Resistance. Its enormous dome of bronze, which characterizes the building, reaches the height of 62 meters: it is one of Udine's biggest buildings. The "Tempio Ossario" contains the bodies of soldiers who died in the First World War, which heavily influenced our region, and it was built in honor of the soldiers who fought for their homeland.
The construction began in 1925 on the design by the two architects Provino Valle and Alessandro Limongelli. Two years later it was decided that the church would host the bodies of the soldiers dead in the First World War. Under the church a big crypt was built, where the bodies are kept. It took 15 years for the works to be finished.
The crypt contains 5600 unnamed bodies, which are in two large communal graves, on which there's written "For the Fatherland we have offered, together with blood, also the name". The bodies of the 25000 identified soldiers, instead, are arranged in niches along the walls. Between these soldiers there is also Riccardo Giusto, the first Italian soldier dead in the First World War. The crypt also contains a bronze statue dedicated to the fallen and missing soldiers of the Julia and Friuli Divisions and of 300 fallen soldiers of World War II.
The crypt
3D model of the Tempio Ossario
The exterior façade of the Temple clearly recalls the Great War with the placement of four large statues by Silvio Olivo. The statues represent the Alpine soldier, Infantryman, the Aviator and the Sailor. Inside the church there are 14 side chapels, each dedicated to a station of the "Way of the Cross" with panels by Giannino Castiglion.
INTERVIEW WITH RICCARDO GIUSTO
One day we asked ourselves: “How could an interview with Riccardo Giusto sound like?”; So we went on a very long helicopter journey, which we don't have the time to describe, to reach the afterlife.
Good evening Riccardo, first of all could you start by introducing yourself so as to make readers better understand who you are?
Good evening, my name is Riccardo Giusto, I was born on 10 February 1895 in Udine. I am often remembered for being the first Italian soldier to have died during the First World War.
Please, tell us more about yourself
I worked as a porter in the Udine station until 1914; I remember very well that on January 12, 1915 I stopped working because I was called to the military district of Sacile; then the war began, and my department was called.
Do you remember your death?
Of course, at the beginning of the war I was assigned to one of the patrols which had the task of controlling the top of Mount Jeza, which is located in front of Tolonimo. We were entering enemy territory, until at one point the Austrians started shooting at us. It was 4, or maybe 5, I don't remember exactly; I remember instead that the others tried to help me, but by then it was too late.
Thank you for granting us this short interview!
Thanks to you!
Riccardo Giusto
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