Less than one month away from the start of the “Giro d’Italia”. The Tour of Tours will reach the “Queen” (Cortina is known as the Queen of the Dolomites) and with its 212 kilometers and 5700 meters of height’s difference will be the most demanding leg of the competition.
Less than one month from the start of the Giro d’Italia the locations where the Giro will go through celebrate the wait getting pink. Cortina has chosen to light up the bell’s tower of the Saints Philip and James Basilica in the main street of Corso Italia to join up to the chorus of other locations of the circuit and send a message of light , colour and hope to Italy.
A message starting from the origins in the 160th anniversary of the Unity of Italy and the ninetieth celebration of the iconic Pink Shirt that looks to a future in which sport could represent the economic and cultural rebirth of the Country. A message that is dear to the Ampezzana’s destination that has deep into its DNA the deepest sport’s values and is about to host the most prestigious of sport’s events in the next few years. Enel, the italian energy provider and sponsor of the Giro, is already a partner of Cortina Community. The firm provided to the lighting up in pink the Basilica’s tower’s bell, that was chosen by the community asa symbol od the historic’s identity of the valley.
Curiosities and facts about the tower’s bell: Its inauguration dates back to the year 1858 (the previous one dated back to the XII Century and was destroyed in 1849). Its height reaches 65,80 meters and to add a coat of gold to its summit 60 golden pieces (ducati) were forged in Innsbruck. the bells also come from Innsbruck and the made their first sound debut on November the 19th of 1858 ton salute and celebrate the name day of the Empress Elizabeth of Wittelsbach, known as Sissi. The clock dates back to the Sixties and plays the music of the London’s Big Ben.
