It is located in the valley of the Adige River, on the route leading north to the Brenner Pass through the Alps. Now part of Italy, in 1915 it lay within Austria approximately 10 miles from the border and was fought over by both sides in attack and counter-attack. North of Rovereto lies the city of Trento, which has an Alpine Troops History Museum which can also be conveniently visited during the same day by those choosing to drive to Rovereto on the excellent autopista system serving the region. Rovereto probably began as a Roman settlement but signs of life go back 70 million years in the form of fossilized dinosaur tracks visible from a nearby nature trail. The town was under Austrian rule from the early 16th century until World War I. Looming over the village is a castle on a rocky crag at its western edge.
Opening hours vary so it is best to check.
It is a pleasant half-hour walk from the central train station in Rovereto, via interesting streets, past squares with attractive fountains, and numerous cafes and restaurants. A plaque on one building identifies it as the house where the young Mozart performed his first concert in Italy. There are a number of large artillery pieces and plaques along the walls at the base of the castle, including two heroic sculptured heads commemorating Italian martyrs Sottotenente Damiano Chiesa and Tenente Fabio Filzi. These two local men, along with a third Cesare Battisti were executed for treason by the Austrians in 1916. The River Adige sparkles below, flowing through the town and the mountains which surround it.