Polish Cemetery at Bologna, Military cemetery near San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy

The Polish Cemetery in Bologna is a military burial ground with more than 1,400 graves of soldiers and officers from World War II. The site was designed by Polish professionals and features a structured layout with memorials and marked burial areas.

The cemetery was founded in 1946 to honor Polish troops who fought during the Italian campaign from 1944 to 1945. This period marked the involvement of Polish forces in the liberation of northern Italy from occupation.

The site was designed by Polish engineers and reflects military values important to the nation, visible in how the grounds are laid out and maintained. The careful design shows the respect paid to those who died far from home.

The cemetery stands on Via Emilia Levante, on the border with San Lazzaro di Savena, reached by following the old Roman road out of Bologna towards the east. The grounds were laid out between 1 July and 15 December 1946 by soldiers of the 10th Sapper Battalion of the 2nd Polish Corps, with the help of Italian stonemasons. Annual ceremonies are held here on 2 November and on 21 April, the day Bologna was liberated.

Polish soldiers were among the first Allied troops to reach Bologna and played a key role in freeing the city. Their contribution to this region is less known locally than it is remembered in Poland.