Arezzo War Cemetery
- Country Italy
- Total identified casualties 1232 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 43.48411, Longitude: 11.79039
Location information
From the motorway A1, Naples-Milan, take the Arezzo exit and head towards Arezzo. Before reaching the town turn right to Ponte a Chiani and follow signposts to Indicatore. On reaching Route No. 69, after Indicatore, turn left towards Montevarchi and the cemetery can be found on the left after 1 kilometre. Cemetery address: SR 69 Località Indicatore Zona Prima - 52020 Pratantico (AR) Tuscany. GPS Co-ordinates: Latitude: 43.484069, Longitude: 11.790363.
Visiting information
AREZZO WAR CEMETERY
Arezzo War Cemetery is in the Tuscany region of Italy.
PARKING
There is a small car park with space for up to 4 vehicles to the side of the main road at the front of the cemetery. The ground is flat and concrete.
There are metal double gates leading from the car park into the entrance area are approximately two metres wide (1 metre each).
There are no other vehicle parking areas nearby.
ACCESS, LAYOUT & MAIN ENTRANCE
The cemetery is a large rectangular shape with a central grass aisle that leads up to the main entrance into the burial plot.
At the main entrance to the cemetery there is an archway that also serves as a shelter. Access into the cemetery is through the shelter, up three stone steps into shelter, and down three steps into the cemetery.
There is a seating area with stone benches inside the shelter.
The Stone of Remembrance is in the middle of the cemetery, halfway down the full length.
The Cross of Sacrifice is at the furthest point from the main entrance in line with the Stone of Remembrance
The Register box is inside the shelter at the main entrance – a sliding door built into the podium.
ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
An alternative entrance to the cemetery without steps can be found at the end of a single farm track path that runs the length of the cemetery, located to the right of the main entrance, looking into the cemetery.
At the end of the track is a 2-meter-wide gate into the cemetery. The gate opens onto grass and provides step free access.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The cemetery is permanently open.
History information
On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side.
Progress through southern Italy was rapid despite stiff resistance, but the advance was checked for some months at the German winter defensive position known as the Gustav Line. The line eventually fell in May 1944 and as the Germans withdrew, Rome was taken by the Allies on 3 June.
The Germans made a stand in front of Arezzo early in July 1944 and there was fierce fighting before the town was taken on 16 July by the 6th Armoured Division with the aid of the 2nd New Zealand Division.
The site for this cemetery was selected in November 1944, and graves were brought into it from the surrounding area. Both the 4th and the 8th Indian Divisions were involved in the fighting in this region, and Plots VII-IX in the cemetery contain Indian graves.
Arezzo War Cemetery contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.