War memorial in Ancona, World War I memorial in Passetto district, Ancona, Italy.

The war memorial in Ancona features a circular structure with eight Doric columns of white Istrian stone arranged around a central altar. Two broad staircases form the main approach to this elevated platform overlooking the Adriatic.

Guido Cirilli designed the memorial in the 1920s together with the staircase linking it to the sea; the foundation stone was laid in March 1923, when Prince Umberto of Piedmont attended the ceremony. The building was inaugurated in 1932. Cirilli reworked the circular monopteros form of Cesare Bazzani's rejected competition entry, chosen because it has no preferred facade and so faces both the two-kilometre axis from sea to sea and the Adriatic.

The inscription draws from Giacomo Leopardi's poem 'All'Italia', giving the place a strong literary connection that locals and visitors notice immediately. Military symbols like helmets and swords at the base speak directly to those who come to remember the fallen.

The memorial sits in Piazza IV Novembre with open views toward the Adriatic and easy access to the Passetto beach nearby. The location works well as a stopping point during a walk along the waterfront or as a quiet place to sit and take in the sea view.

When viewed from the sea, the twin staircases combined with the central structure create the silhouette of an eagle. This detail is best appreciated from the water's perspective, adding a hidden layer of meaning to the design.