Military Memorial Redipuglia

A somber reminder of WWI and the sacrifices made by countless men and women. I found the museums- both at the top of the memorial and across the street very informative and fascinating.

The Redipuglia war memorial is dedicated to the italian soldiers who fought and died on the Isonzo front during WW1. It is the largest war memorial in Italy and one of the largest in the world. The entire place gives you a good perspective on how bloody that war was and how too many lives were lost in that conflict. As you stand beneath the memorial or on top of it, the feelings are really overwhelming and even if you dont like anything about history in general or WW1 in particular, the mere size of this stone tomb makes you think on how we humans can be so senseless, destructive and cruel. This memorial is the last resting place of 100.187 soldiers (!) that were killed in just 2 years of bloody fights, between 1915 and 1917 and this only on the Isonzo front. The construction works started in 1935 and the site was officially inaugurated on the 18th September 1938 in the presence of Mussolini and more than 50.000 italian veterans. The shrine was built on a small hill, called „Sei Busi“ that was also a place of many battles during those terrible days. It was built in a form of a staircase with 22 stone steps and that is why the memorial is called „Scalinata dei Centomila“ or „Staircase of the one hundred thousand“. These stone steps host the remains of 39,857 identified soldiers and on the top of the memorial, beside the chapel, are 2 more crypts with the remains of 60,330 unknown soldiers. At the base of the shrine and in front of the one hundred thousand graves lie 7 individual sepulchres. In the main one, which is made from a single piece of red marble weighing 49 tons, the commanding officer of the 3rd Italian army, prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta, is buried. He died after the war, in 1931, but on his expressed wish, he was laid to rest here with his former soldiers. The other sepulchres host the remains of 6 Italian generals that were killed in action on the Isonzo front. On the path that leads to the base of the memorial are 38 plaques with the names of all the locations of major battles in the area. One interesting thing that I would like to highlight is the fact that among the graves of the first stone step there is the tomb of the only female victim buried here, the nurse Margherita Kaiser Parodi Orlando. I certainly advise everyone to visit this place at least once. There is a big free parking place on the opposite side of the road. From there a 5-minute walk will take you to the site. During this walk you can also visit a museum of WW1 in the nearby building and take a stroll on a small woody hill that lies opposite to the monument. It is called St. Elias Hill and it was the site of the main war cemetery before 1938. Nowadays this is a memorial park where some artillery pieces from WW1 are on display. If you dont want or you cant walk to the top of the main monument, that is not a problem. You can get there also by car. The road that leads at the top, branches off from the main road only 400 m away from the monument in the direction of Trieste.?

In the distance it appears like a white staircase, whose gigantic dimensions overwhelms you while approaching it. Stepping up and up on the eleven "steps" staring at the 100 thousand names of buried soldiers is breathtaking, and not for the ascent. On the top, close to small church, under three large crosses, there are two common burial of hundred thousands unknown soldiers... Here one realise how crazy is war and its consequences.

very nice place. very interesting the museum in front of the "step monument"

You can smell the history of the Grand War! Peace be upon all victims and may they rest in piece!

A place to visit. The largest memorial in Italy and one of the largest in the world. It is recommended to read some historical background before the visit.

Stop by and honour the boys who built the world for us. One of the saddest corners in Italy. It is one of the largest military memorial cemetery in honour of the soldiers who died in Isonzo front during the first world war. While you visit the place, I invite you to kindly imagine the horror of a war, the pain and suffering of the boys and the suffering of the family back in their homes. Do we need another war ? ... Anywhere??? Near the cemetery and on the other side of the hill, one may observe trenches and the guns and shells used during the war. Ample parking. Highly recommended. Please bring young kids and show them the horror.

The scale of this monument is highly impressive and, without using a drone, I don't think photos really do it justice. So many names listed is moving. Interesting to see that Mussolini's role in creating the monument has not been removed from history in the plaque at the top of the monument. Perhaps there could be a little more information for visitors to learn about the reasons for this monument's existence.