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FLORENCE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL
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This video presents a brief narrated tour of Florence American Cemetery's landscaped grounds, architecture, and works of art.
Florence.wmv - windows media video ( 11 MB ) |
The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial site in Italy covers 70 acres, chiefly on the west side of the Greve "torrente." The wooded hills that frame its west limit rise several hundred feet. Between the two entrance buildings, a bridge leads to the burial area where the headstones of 4,402 of our military dead are arrayed in symmetrical curved rows upon the hillside. They represent 39 percent of the U.S. Fifth Army burials originally made between Rome and the Alps. Most died in the fighting that occurred after the capture of Rome in June 1944. Included among them are casualties of the heavy fighting in the Apennines shortly before the war's end. On May 2, 1945, the enemy troops in northern Italy surrendered.
Above the graves, on the topmost of three broad terraces, stands the memorial marked by a tall pylon surmounted by a large sculptured figure. The memorial has two open atria, or courts, joined by the Tablets of the Missing upon which are inscribed 1,409 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. The atrium at the south end of the Tablets of the Missing serves as a forecourt to the chapel, which is decorated with marble and mosaic. The north atrium contains the marble operations maps recording the achievements of the American armed forces in this region.
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Central Mall |
The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the Visitor Building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.
How to Get There
Florence American Cemetery is located on the west side of Via Cassia, about 7˝ miles south of Florence. The Rome-Milan A1 autostrada passes near the cemetery; its Certosa-Florence exit is 2 miles to the north. There is excellent train service to Florence from the principal cities of Italy; it is also served by some of the international trains. The "SITA" bus station provides frequent bus service along Via Cassia and there is a bus stop conveniently located just outside the cemetery gate.
For More Information
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If you have Adobe Acrobat, you may download a cemetery booklet with or without pictures. If you do not have a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader currently installed on your PC, you will need to download and configure a free copy before you can read and print the booklet.
Download Booklet with pictures ( 1 MB )
Download Booklet without pictures ( 26 KB )
- You may contact us for information about this cemetery with our online
electronic form.
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