The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-16
ST MARKS GATE, TRENT
Foremost in Every Loyal Italian
Heart Is Hope of Regaining
the Trentino

TAR up among the gray crags OF the Dolomtes lies the
H hope Of Italy. the subject Of its national aspiration. Poll
l ticians may look toward Africa o r the Adriatic for their
eountrys future. patriots may dream Of Trieste and 1stria
under the "tre-colOri" but first and foremost in every loyal
Italian heart is written, the Trentino.
1t offers an interesting study in the pertnacity Of racial
spirit, does this bit Of territory, the thorn that Austria has for so
long thrust down into the flesh Of italy. Not since the year 1927
has the Trentino been a part Of Italy. For nine hundred years
it has been under Germanic political domination, and for more
than a century 1t has been an Austrian province. Yet to-day
it is as Italian as Rome itself, and its people resist just as
passively and just Is successfully every effort Of Austrian states
manship to mould their stubborn spirit as did Their forbears of
all the succeeding generations.
Expediency may have forced Italy to maintain an official
silence as to her hopes Of bringing these people under her flag,
but there has never been the slightest doubt in any quarter as
to her real desire. No triumph OF the present kingdom has been
or will be wholly complete SO long as the Trentino remains
Italia Irretenta.
The very heart of this unredeemed italy is the little old town
of Trent as gray as the limestone mountains that hem it about.
1t IS little known to tourists, and indeed there is little there
to attract travellers. The town lives on its past history and its
famous Ecumenical Council Of 1545-6s. which has always been
Trent's greatest claim to fame, and the latter by a huge and
people found expression for their Italian sentiment, which the
Austrian authorities could not deny them.
The most picturesque approach to Trent is from the north,
where the trains coming down from the Bremen Pass aford a
view Of the town from far above Il. AT first the huddle Of gray
al hardly be distinguished from the mountain sides. But grad
uany certain features pick themselves out, the two domes Of the
cathedral, the campanne Of Santa Maria Maggiore, the half ruined
Castillo del Buon Consiglo.
The town is dominated by the isolated rocky citadel. Doss
Trento, which rises 3OS feet above the city, and which is con-
sdered so important from a military Standpoint that it is always
kept closed to visitors. The ugly old cathedral was built in four
instruments, between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries, and
was restored late in the nineteenth.
Much more interesting historically is the church of Santa
Maria Maggiore, the scene Of the meetings of the famous Council
The Castillo del Buon Consigiio was the residence of the Prince
Bishops during most NJ the centuries of their rule. During this
p"iod, from 1927 to 1903, all temporal rights over the territory
were assigned to Germany.
man is heard spoken there than in the ordinary tourist centres
Of Italy. In most of the shops German is not understood. The
Italian holidays are observed and Austrian holidays ignored up
to the very limit Of daring