Renovation work on the CWGC Rome War Cemetery update

Rendered image of the final layout.

The CWGC Rome War Cemetery in the Capitoline district of Testaccio is one of the iconic cemeteries of the Second World War Italian Campaign. It was originally designed by British architect Louis de Soissons and contains 426 Commonwealth burials.

Over time the cemetery has deviated from De Soissons original design and the changing climate is adding to pressures on the existing cemetery and infrastructure never envisaged by its designer.

The project aims to bring the cemetery back to its original design but add sustainability elements to both the plant species and its maintenance.

Two pathways between the Cross of Sacrifice and Stone of Remembrance removed in 1960 will be reinstated to the original De Soissons vision. The fence overlooking Via Nicola Zabaglia will be enriched with a hedge and new Pinus Pinea trees will be planted within the cemetery, reflecting the landscape background created by the domestic pine specimens of the Non-Catholic Cemetery, on the other side of Via Zabaglia. This will also cover the background view of the buildings currently visible when entering the Cemetery.

The renovation will involve the necessary removal of a few now unsafe specimens and the insertion in the burial area of a new row of six specimens of Ulmus "san zanobi".

Two groves will also be rearranged and planted with sensorial paths along the Aurelian Walls giving the feeling of a ‘secret garden’ for quiet contemplation.

Planting of species that are more resilient to drought and disease with new flowering plants and grasses is taking place throughout the Cemetery.

A more efficient zonal irrigation system capable of modulating the quantities of water needed in different parts of the site will be added. The irrigation will be linked to a new weather station and a soil humidity control system allowing us to reduce and rationalize water consumption to meet any local variations in climate.

The works of the renovation project are expected to last until the beginning of 2025, and the cemetery will be closed to the public while the new irrigation system is installed for safety reasons from November 2024 until January 2025 barring unforeseen circumstances or delays.

For more information on Rome War Cemetery and the renovation works, please visit: www.cwgc.org/rome