Campo della Gloria War memorial

Across the sprawling expanse of Milan’s Cimitero Maggiore lies a poignant testament to courage and sacrifice: the Campo della Gloria War Memorial. This hallowed ground, nestled within the vast cemetery in the Musocco district, serves as the final resting place for thousands who fought valiantly for Italy’s liberation. Partisans, deportees, and those who supported the resistance movement lie here, their stories etched in stone. Immediately after the end of World War II, the city sought a fitting tribute to these heroes who gave their lives for a democratic future. The Campo della Gloria, which translates to “Field of Glory”, was conceived as a place of honor and remembrance. Major Italian cities established similar memorials, recognizing the profound sacrifices made between 1943 and 1945. The sheer number of names at the Campo della Gloria War Memorial speaks volumes about the human cost of the liberation movement. People from all political backgrounds rest here: those executed by firing squads, those who fell in battle, deportees, collaborators, and messengers. The Cimitero Maggiore, Milan’s largest cemetery, began accepting the remains of the fallen as early as 1945. Shortly after the war’s end, Antonio Greppi, Milan’s first post-war mayor, spearheaded the initial development of the memorial in his capacity as president of the Committee for the Fallen for Freedom. A design competition led to architect Umberto Comolli’s vision being selected. The foundation stone was laid on April 25, 1948, a symbolic date marking Italy’s Liberation Day. The Campo della Gloria War Memorial was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1949. Over the years, the memorial underwent several improvements and renovations, culminating in a significant restoration in 1997. Comolli’s original design, a stone stele with six lateral panels bearing the names of the fallen, became the backdrop for a bronze replica of Marino Mazzacurati’s powerful sculpture, “Il partigiano fucilato” (“The Executed Partisan”). As you enter Field 64, the designated area for the memorial, you’ll encounter two monuments. One commemorates the awarding of the Gold Medal of Military Valor to the city of Milan, and the other honors the Gold Medal awarded to the flag of the Corpo Volontari della Libertà (CVL), the main Italian resistance movement. The path winds through flowerbeds, passing marble and red porphyry tombstones, each bearing the name and photograph of a fallen individual. The main monument, featuring Mazzacurati’s sculpture, stands at the heart of the memorial. Within the Campo della Gloria, markers and walls embedded in the ground list the names and details of approximately 4,000 fallen individuals. Several stelae also commemorate those deported to Nazi concentration and extermination camps. The Campo della Gloria War Memorial is not just a place of mourning; it is a testament to the enduring spirit of resistance. It’s a place where the stories of ordinary people who performed extraordinary acts of bravery during a dark chapter in Italian history are remembered.