The Battle of Monte Cassino
Between January and May 1944, Monte Cassino was the scene of one of the hardest battles of the Italian campaign. An essential guide before your visit.
Why here
The abbey overlooked the Gustav Line, the German defensive barrier blocking the road to Rome along the Liri valley. Taking Cassino meant opening that road.
The front stayed locked for months, at a very high human cost on both sides.
The four offensives
The fighting unfolded in four successive phases between January and May 1944, involving troops of many nationalities: American, British, New Zealand, Indian, French (with the Moroccan goumiers) and finally Polish.
On 15 February 1944 Allied bombing destroyed the Benedictine abbey, which was rebuilt after the war.
The Polish II Corps and the red poppies
On 18 May 1944 soldiers of General Anders' Polish II Corps took the ruins and raised the Polish flag on the hill. The episode entered Polish national memory through the song 'Czerwone maki na Monte Cassino'.
The Polish military cemetery, just above the abbey, holds the graves of the fallen.
Frequently asked questions
In what year was the Battle of Monte Cassino?
In 1944, between January and May, across four successive offensives.
Why was the abbey destroyed?
It was bombed by the Allies on 15 February 1944, believed to be a possible German position; it was rebuilt after the war.
Your base for Monte Cassino
A strategic base for battlefield tourism and pilgrimage: all the main sites are a short drive away.
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