“There is no admission charge because, I suppose, Italy has something to be forgiven for”, said our guide Riccardo as he pulled into the Florence American Cemetery & Memorial; the first destination of our day-long tour of the Chianti region. We had no idea that we would be making this stop, as none of our group despite the majority being American, had any idea that such a place existed. As the thousands of white marble crosses appeared on an immaculate grass hill before us, the excited chatter that had filled the car moments earlier stopped altogether, replaced by a stunned silence as we absorbed the sobering sight.
As I strolled past the manicured lawns and looked out across the vast rows of white crosses and Stars of David, I struggled to keep my tears at bay. I’m not American, but I don’t need to be in order to appreciate the huge sacrifice that these men made all those years ago, and to recognise how the world changed because of their actions. Those sweeping lines of marble graves are a reminder to any visitor, of any nationality, that the events of the World Wars should never be forgotten. I hadn’t been prepared for such a beginning to my day; I was on a wine tour of Chianti after all, and not travelling through Normandy, but I’m so grateful that I was able to see the Florence American Cemetery & Memorial; it truly was an unforgettable sight:
This little-known memorial is the resting place of 4,402 American soldiers who died during the second world war, and is surrounded by the spectacularly green, tree-covered Tuscan hills. Just 7.5 miles south of Florence, it’s accessible by public transport and is open daily from 9am – 5pm except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
If you find yourself in Florence, whether you’re American or not, the Florence American Cemetery & Memorial is worth taking a detour for. As General of the Armies John J. Pershing famously said:
“Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.”
Our wonderful guide Riccardo runs tours for Your Personal Italy, and this day trip to Chianti was booked by the fabulous Constant Tourist Travel…but more to come on the rest of that adventure later!
Very moving post Elle. Good to read a completely different aspect of travel to Florence. These places are always very evocative and seeing those crosses really brings home the sacrifice those soldiers made for peace in our time …
I’ve never been to a war memorial, but those in France are high up on my list. In fact, I went to Florence without even thinking of visiting this place but your description of it is lovely. Those tragic lines of white crosses take the breath away even in photographs.
Yes, the sight of all of the crosses lined up really is something else. I hope you manage to make it to the French memorials one day.