Ossario di Palestro, Military memorial in Palestro, Italy
The Ossario di Palestro is a memorial on a hill at the western entrance of Palestro that rises approximately 23 meters (75 feet) high. A bronze eagle sits at its peak, while the square base displays twelve square windows and can be entered through a larch wood door.
The memorial was inaugurated in 1893 and holds the remains of Piedmontese, French, and Austrian soldiers who fell during battles in May 1859. It was created as a response to this pivotal battle of the Italian unification wars.
The structure was designed by architect Giuseppe Sommaruga and features mosaics honoring three main battle sites: Palestro, Confienza, and Vinzaglio. These mosaics tell the story of places where soldiers fought and fell.
The memorial sits on a hilltop at the edge of town and is easy to reach by following the western entrance route. The site is accessible during daylight hours and offers space for quiet reflection and photographs.
Italy's royal family, led by King Umberto I, contributed 8,000 lire to speed up completion of this monument. This support shows how important the project was to Italian unification.
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