Mausoleo delle Fosse Ardeatine
National memorial on the site of the massacre of 24 March 1944, with the quarries, the sanctuary holding the tombs of 335 victims and a small museum of memorabilia; free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Mausoleo delle Fosse Ardeatine stands in Rome, along the Via Ardeatina, beside the quarries where on 24 March 1944 335 men were killed in reprisal for the attack in Via Rasella: ten Italians for every German soldier killed. The complex was designed after a competition by groups of architects and artists, and is considered the first modern Italian monument, born from the collaboration between sculptors and architects.
The final design, the result of the collaboration between the two winning groups, took account of the objections of the victims' families, who rejected a cemetery-style arrangement: the burials are gathered in sarcophagi laid out in rows beneath a single large raised concrete slab, outside but connected to the site of the massacre. The entrance forecourt is dominated by the sculptural group by Francesco Coccia and the gates by Mirko Basaldella.
The route leads to the quarry galleries, the site of the massacre and the sanctuary, while a path through greenery leads to the small museum, which holds historical materials and memorabilia, and to the top of the hill with the craters left by the bombs. Guided tours are organised by the Associazione nazionale famiglie italiane martiri (ANFIM); on the first Sunday of each month, relatives of the victims accompany visitors.
Key themes
- Sanctuary with the tombs of the 335 victims under a single large slab
- Quarry galleries and the site of the massacre
- Sculptural group by Francesco Coccia and gates by Mirko Basaldella
- Small museum of memorabilia
- Free admission; guided tours with relatives of the victims on the first Sunday of the month
Permanent exhibition
- Museo dei cimeli – Small museum with historical materials and memorabilia linked to the massacre, reached by a path through greenery from the forecourt.
- Visitors per year
- approx. 80,000
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The visiting route of the mausoleum is accessible to people with mobility impairments.
Kids & families
Place of memory of the massacre; schools can book guided tours.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Ardeatina/Fosse Ardeatine
ATAC bus line 218, stop Ardeatina/Fosse Ardeatine; line 118, stop Catacombe S. Callisto. From Roma Termini: Metro A to San Giovanni and then line 218, or Metro B to Circo Massimo and then line 118.
By car
Parking available
The entrance on Via Ardeatina has a car park; other car parks are available nearby.
From central Rome, Via Ardeatina can be reached from Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Via Cristoforo Colombo and Via delle Sette Chiese; from the Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road, take exit 24 Ardeatina.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | ANFIM guided tours for groups of at least 5 people, schools and parties, by booking (info@mausoleofosseardeatine.it, info@anfim.org, +39 06 679 5629, WhatsApp +39 392 448 4043), at least one week in advance. As part of the initiative “La città ricorda”, on the first Sunday of each month relatives of the victims accompany the guided tours. An audio guide is available. Bicycles, motorcycles and kick scooters are not permitted. |
