Hill of Sant’Elia

1 hr

The Cemetery of the Unvanquished of the Third Army (Cimitero degli invitti della Terza Armata) was organized on the hill of Sant’Elia (Colle di Sant’Elia). The idea emerged as early as 1919 on the initiative by the Military Office for the Fallen in the War (Ufficio militare per i Caduti di Guerra). Hence, it is known as the first charnel house of and monument to the fallen in World War I. The cemetery was opened in 1923, and 30,000 fallen soldiers were buried in it. When the Charnel House at Redipuglia was ceremonially opened in 1938 and mortal remains of the soldiers from Sant’Elia were transferred into it, the cemetery lost its role and was therefore changed into the Memorial Park (Parco della Rimembranza). Nowadays, a flight of wide and deep steps lead to the top of the hill, with trees on each side, where imitations of original tombstones and epigraphs are also lined up. The chapel and the obelisk that were erected on the top no longer exist; they have been replaced by a Roman column that was brought from Aquileia in memory of the fallen in all wars.

Photos: (1‒3) Simon Kovačič, Fundacija Poti miru; (4) Tanja Gorjan, Fundacija Poti miru

Guided Tour Programme:

Redipuglia and Dolina del XV Bersaglieri