Sacrario dei paracadutisti, Memorial in Viterbo, Italy
The Sacrario dei paracadutisti is a memorial in Viterbo, Italy, dedicated to Italian paratroopers who died in service. It features two large stone wings set into thick walls, one of them broken, placed above a round pool of water surrounded by engravings that recount the units' battles and losses.
The first stone was laid on July 3, 1966, and the memorial was officially opened on October 23 of the same year, a date chosen to mark the anniversary of the battle of El Alamein, now remembered as the Day of the Parachutists in the Italian Army. The design was created by architect and soldier Paolo Caccia Dominioni, with sculptures by Vittorio di Colbertoldo.
The Sacrario dei paracadutisti stands on Piazza dei Caduti, a public square in Viterbo used for civic gatherings and ceremonies. On national holidays and anniversaries, people come together here to pay tribute to fallen paratroopers.
The memorial is located on Piazza dei Caduti in Viterbo and is easy to reach on foot from the historic center. As an outdoor site, it can be visited at any time of year without any reservation.
A parchment scroll was sealed inside the foundation stone when it was laid, recording the occasion, the people present, and the reasons behind the monument. The broken wing is not a random detail but a deliberate symbol for those who did not return.
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