Memorial Honors WWI Fallen at Hungarian Chapel
A commemoration at the Hungarian Chapel in Visintini, Italy, paid tribute to soldiers who died on the Doberdò Front during World War I.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Historical
A memorial service was held Thursday at the Hungarian Chapel in Visintini, a village in Doberdò del Lago, Italy, to honor those who fell on the Doberdò Front during World War I. The Hungarian Military History Institute and Museum shared pictures of the commemoration on Facebook.
Why it matters
The chapel, built by Hungarian soldiers during the war, stands as a physical reminder of the conflict on the Doberdò Plateau and of the commemorative efforts that have preserved it for international visitors and descendants of those who served.
The chapel was nearly complete by October 1918, when consecration was blocked by the collapse of the front, and it was restored with funding from the Széchenyi Scientific Society in 2008. President László Sólyom inaugurated the renovated chapel on May 29, 2009, while the number of attendees at Thursday's service was not reported.
The players
Hungarian Military History Institute and Museum
The institute is a Hungarian military heritage body that shared images of the commemoration and whose commander spoke at the service.
Roland Maruzs
Colonel Roland Maruzs is commander of the Hungarian Military History Institute and Museum, who gave a speech at the service.
Peter Ferfoglia
Peter Ferfoglia is mayor of Doberdò del Lago, the Italian municipality containing the chapel, who gave a speech at the service.
The details
Colonel Roland Maruzs, commander of the Hungarian Military History Institute and Museum, and Peter Ferfoglia, mayor of Doberdò del Lago, gave speeches, and Colonel Massimiliano Fioretti represented the Italian Ministry of Defense. Cadets from the Károly Kratochvil Military High School and Boarding School attended in World War I-era uniforms or their school uniforms.
Timeline
• January 1918: Emperor Charles IV ordered establishment of a memorial chapel.
• October 1918: Chapel nearly complete; consecration blocked by the collapse of the front.
• Around 2000: Chapel saved from ruin by the Isonzo Friendship Association and Hungarian groups.
• 2008: Széchenyi Scientific Society funded restoration.
• May 29, 2009: President László Sólyom inaugurated the renovated chapel.
Historical Thread
The chapel traces directly to Emperor Charles IV's January 1918 order for a memorial chapel, and Thursday's service extends that wartime commitment to remembrance nearly a century later. The restoration and 2009 inauguration show how the site has been preserved as a shared memorial for Hungary and Italy.
Visitors to Doberdò del Lago can view the Hungarian Chapel at Visintini, which is open for commemorations and visits tied to the Doberdò Front. Travelers planning a trip to the Doberdò Plateau should expect the chapel to be a site of ongoing remembrance rather than only a historical landmark.
The takeaway
Memorials like the Hungarian Chapel in Visintini show how wartime sites can be preserved across borders through the efforts of military institutions, local governments, and civic groups. Readers interested in this history can seek out these sites in person to better understand the scale of World War I on the Doberdò Plateau.
Further reading
Explore more about the wartime past in our Historical coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hungary Today.
