Sacrario Militare del Monte Grappa

Top choice in The Veneto


No battle defines Italy’s struggle in the Great War better than the 1917–18 battle of Monte Grappa. Despite being severely weakened after the battles of Caporetto and Isonzo, Italian Alpine brigades mounted a heroic stand atop this barren mountain and finally brought a halt to the Austro-Hungarian advance. The savage conflict claimed the lives of 22,910 troops, who are now entombed in this memorial, which caps the summit and is studded with bronze plaques commemorating the deceased.

The epic ossuary, designed by Giovanni Greppi and Giannino Castiglioni in 1935, mimics the natural slope of the mountain in five concentric stone rings that are positioned on top of one another to form a pyramid, which is capped by a small sanctuary, the Madoninna del Grappa. Both Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops are buried in niches dug into the stone, although the two sides are separated by a longitudinal avenue called the Strada Eroica (Heroic Way).

Look out for the grave bearing the name, Peter Pan, which is often adorned with flowers and toys. Although little is known about this 21-year old Austrian soldier, the poignant connection between him and the ever-youthful fictional character is self-evident: both will remain forever young on Monte Grappa, known locally as Alpe Madre (Mother Alp).

Near the memorial, there is a cave with a sculpture by Augusto Murer called Al Partigiano. It was erected in 1974 in memory of WWII partisans who also sought shelter on Monte Grappa and were burned alive by the retreating Nazis after the Armistice was signed.

The memorial is 32km northeast of Bassano del Grappa. You'll need a car to reach it.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Veneto attractions

1. Gypsotheca e Museo Antonio Canova

4.1 MILES

Antonio Canova was Italy’s master of neoclassical sculpture. He made marble come alive, and you can see his fascinating modelling technique at the…

2. Museo Civico di Asolo

7.24 MILES

Explore Asolo's Roman past and wander through a small collection of paintings, including a pair of Tintoretto portraits. The museum also includes rooms…

3. Rocca

7.29 MILES

Perched on the summit of Monte Ricco and looking down on central Asolo are the hulking ruins of a fortress dating back to the 12th to early 13th centuries…

4. Villa Freya

7.34 MILES

When she wasn’t exploring the furthest reaches of the Empty Quarter or negotiating with future Arab heads of state, legendary explorer and travel writer…

5. Poli Museo della Grappa

7.82 MILES

Explore four centuries of Bassano's high-octane libation at this interactive museum, which includes tastings and the chance to tour the distillery of…

6. Museo Civico

7.83 MILES

Bassano del Grappa's Museo Civico is beautifully housed around the cloisters of the Convento di San Francesco. Endowed in 1828 by the naturalist…

7. Ponte degli Alpini

7.85 MILES

Spanning the river is Palladio's photogenic 1569 wooden bridge. Fragile as it seems, it is cleverly engineered to withstand the rush of spring meltwaters…

8. Palazzo Sturm

7.88 MILES

Pretty Palazzo Sturm sits overlooking the Brenta river. It was built in the mid-18th century by wealthy industrialist and silk merchant Vincenzo Ferrari,…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "italy/bassano-del-grappa/attractions/sacrario-militare-del-monte-grappa/a/poi-sig/1622836/1340080",
      "destination": "The-Veneto",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Italy",
      "region": "The-Veneto",
      "position": "superzone"
    }