A loud boom shook Bolzano this morning: the central section of the city’s courthouse collapsed early Thursday morning, July 16. According to Il Corriere della Sera, the collapse affected a section of the building that houses the judicial offices, and, based on initial reports, one person sustained minor injuries after being struck by debris.
The timing of the collapse prevented more serious consequences: only cleaning staff were present inside the courthouse at the time. The affected section included the main courtroom of the Court of Assizes and two third-floor courtrooms used for civil hearings, all of which were completely destroyed by the collapse. Maintenance and renovation work had been underway in that area in recent days: the causes of the incident are still under investigation, but a connection to the ongoing work cannot be ruled out. Firefighters from the Bolzano Permanent Fire Department arrived on the scene around 6:30 a.m. For reasons yet to be determined, a section of the building’s interior collapsed, bringing down large amounts of masonry and other structural elements. The rubble spilled into the main entrance area and onto the staircase of the Palace of Justice.
Fire department crews immediately secured the area and began initial technical assessments, while evaluations of the stability of the affected parts of the building are underway to determine the next steps. According to the newspaper, Bolzano Mayor Claudio Corrarati also arrived at the scene of the collapse.
The Bolzano Courthouse, located inside the Palace of Justice on Piazza del Tribunale, is a complex built between 1939 and 1956 based on a design by architects Paolo Rossi de Paoli and Michele Busiri Vici. The square itself was constructed between 1939 and 1942. The building also features a bas-relief by sculptor Hans Piffrader ( Chiusa, 1888 – Bolzano, 1950), while the Fontana delle Naiadi, built in 1960, stands in the center of the square.
Like other city monuments dating back to the twenty years of Fascist rule—including the arch in Piazza Vittoria—the newspaper reports that Piazza del Tribunale has been the subject of debate regarding its historical legacy. Since 2017, the building across from the courthouse has displayed Hannah Arendt’s quote, “No one has the right to obey,” inscribed in the region’s three languages: Italian, German, and Ladin. Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto Regional Council, also commented on the collapse, sharing his thoughts on the incident in a Facebook post.
“THE ROOF OF THE BOLZANO COURT HOUSE COLLAPSES,” writes Zaia. “The roof of the Bolzano Courthouse has collapsed. The collapse occurred in the early morning hours when the building was empty. No injuries have been reported. Firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene. It appears that renovation work was underway. The building dates back to the Fascist era. The collapse affected at least a quarter of the building, where renovation and expansion work was underway. At this time, no one is believed to have been involved. The fire department is currently conducting inspections.”
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| Bolzano Courthouse Collapses: Central Part of the Building Destroyed |
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