Climbing the tower of St. Martino

2024/01/01

Finally, after coming to Fondo (TN) for many years, I had a chance to climb the church tower of the St. Martino af the heart of the town. The Pro Loco organised a guided tour and it was lovely, with two very knowledgeable guides.

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Well did you ever!

Fascinating random historical tidbits I learned:

• … Napoleon introduced a law forbidding cemetaries within villages during the french occupation, I assume for hygenic reasons. That explains why typically villages all have cemetaries just outside the core, with a chapel! In Fondo, this indirectly led to the construction of a completely new church.
• … the two big bells weigh more than 2000kg each!
• … during WW I the church bells were taken away and made into weaponry…
• … that there is a space above the ceiling, yet below the roof. Fantastic to be allowed to walk on the wooden path above the dome.
• the church was built around 1850 as the village was growing, for an occupancy of 2000 people. (Nowadays Fondo has 1800 occupants, and the parish shares their priest with 15 other parishes).

Full Flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/driek/albums/72177720305573532