Military shrine of Pocol, Military shrine and ossuary in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

The Military Shrine of Pocol is a tower-shaped monument with a two-level base, standing along the road to Falzarego Pass near Cortina d'Ampezzo. Inside, corridors run along the walls lined with niches holding the remains of fallen soldiers and commemorative plaques.

A small church and military cemetery were established here in 1916 by the 5th Alpine group. The stone tower shrine was designed by engineer Giovanni Raimondi and finished in 1935. In 1932 remains of Italian soldiers previously buried in the Austro-Hungarian cemeteries of Bruneck and Burg in San Candido were moved here.

The site began as a military cemetery and small church built in 1916 by the 5th Alpine group; the stone tower was added in 1935. The crypt at the centre holds General Antonio Cantore, awarded the gold medal for military valor, while two other gold medal recipients, Captain Riccardo Bajardi and Lieutenant Mario Fusetti, have tombs on the upper floor.

The memorial sits along the road from Cortina d'Ampezzo toward Falzarego Pass and is easy to reach by car. The interior corridors are narrow and dimly lit, so take your time as you walk through them.

The crypt at the centre of the tower holds General Antonio Cantore, killed in 1915 on the Tofane and awarded the gold medal for military valor. Two other gold medal recipients are buried on the upper floor: Captain Riccardo Bajardi, fallen at Cima Sief, and Lieutenant Mario Fusetti, killed at Sass de Stria, whose body was never found.