Cimitero Militare Polacco di Montecassino
The ground here was once pocked with bomb craters. Before a single grave could be dug, soldiers of the 2nd Polish Corps moved 20,000 cubic metres of earth and dressed 12,000 rocks by hand to make this hillside between the ruins of the abbey and Hill 593 fit for the dead. What they built — nine limestone terraces rising nearly fifty metres, a Virtuti Militari cross etched into the earth beside an eternal flame — is one of the most considered acts of mourning in Italy.
Some 1,051 travertine crosses mark the Polish soldiers who fell in May 1944 taking the mountain above. Among them, at his own request, lies General Władysław Anders, the man who led the assault, interred here in 1970.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to linger at the upper altar, where the bronze eagles by Michał Paszyn catch the afternoon light, before walking higher toward Hill 593 to find the hedge cross with its six-by-seven-metre stone eagle at the centre. The museum — opened in 2014 — rewards a second visit once you've walked the terraces first.
The story behind Cimitero Militare Polacco di Montecassino
On 18 May 1944, after four Allied attempts to break the German Winter Line, Polish forces entered the ruins of the Benedictine abbey and raised their flag. The cost was 1,072 Polish dead. Interments began almost immediately, and construction of the formal cemetery — designed by Wacław Hryniewicz and Jerzy Skolimowski, supervised by Tadeusz Muszyński — was completed by 1946. The official consecration took place on 1 September 1945.
The headstones reflect the composition of the 2nd Corps itself: Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox soldiers lie beneath travertine crosses; Jewish soldiers beneath the Star of David. The Museo Memoriale del 2º Corpo d'Armata Polacco was inaugurated on 17 May 2014, seventy years after the battle.
Good to know
The cemetery is free and open daily 8:15–18:45. You'll need a car to reach it from Cassino town; trains from Rome Termini run roughly hourly and take about ninety minutes to Cassino station. Allow at least two hours for the cemetery and the adjacent memorial museum together.
Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons to visit — mild temperatures and clear sightlines across the valley. Summer days can reach 29°C, which makes the exposed terraces tiring by midday; arriving early in the morning helps. Winter is mild but occasionally wet.
Where is Cimitero Militare Polacco di Montecassino?
More tickets & tours for Cimitero Militare Polacco di Montecassino
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Cimitero Militare Polacco di Montecassino
Very impressed. The whole history of this place is amazing. The monastery is very busy during the day, but the cemetery you can visit anytime. Take your time to look inside of the small museum and you will be amazed of the whole place. The staff from entrance is very friendly. Thanks Italy for your amazing places. We will never finish to visit the whole country. Definitely we will come back with the first occasion.
A beautiful, well kept site for the graves of those lost in mainly ww2. A long path leads you to the marble gravestones and beyond, in the field, there is a cross decorated with flowers and what looks like a marble slab. It's not accessible but you can get good views from the Abbey of Monte Cassino. Like all war cemeteries, it's a sobering place and a small but detailed and informative museum provides lots of historical detail. There was a small ceremony going on when I was there, I assume for relatives of the deceased. Worth a look if you're up at the Abbey, plenty of parking.
It was amazing for us. We really loved it. They have stuff written in several languages including English. The museum is small buy they have a ton of information packed into there. A lot of great history to read about. Then the actual cemetery is very nice pretty, clean l, and beautiful. Off to the right they have the section with the Jewish graves and that was honestly my favorite part because they stuck out as different and you know how important it was for them to be there and fighting. If your in the area it's a must visit you cant miss this great piece of history.
A place full of emotions! It should be visited with respect and honor by all, in honor of all who are being considered here! So much history! A very well-structured museum with Polish history and memorabilia from the war! A beautiful place, very well managed! It should be known by everyone and recommended that everyone spread the word! A place of silence, contemplation and respect! Grazie Mille! Thank you!
As someone of Polish ethnicity,these hallowed grounds struck a deep resonance with me.The heroic plight of the Polish army in the second world war that fought here had me actually moved to tears.Its a fascinating contrast between the history of the WWII battle and the unbelievable history of the monastery itself. Vising this place is truly an otherworldly trip back in time and is one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. The museum is also fascinating and gives a very detailed explanation if the finer points of what happened here and the men who gallantly fought and died here.
More of Cassino
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Cassino →More attractions in Cassino
All of Cassino →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.