Ossario di Solferino
Church-ossuary of San Pietro in Vincoli in Solferino, a memorial with the remains of the fallen of the battle of 24 June 1859; free admission.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The monumental ossuary of Solferino is located in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, the oldest in the town, which was converted into an ossuary after the battle of 24 June 1859 between the Austrian and Franco-Piedmontese armies. The church was bought from the episcopal curia of Mantua by the Società Solferino e San Martino and set aside to commemorate the fallen; the works date back to 1870.
In the apse are kept 1,413 skulls and countless bones of the soldiers who died in the battle. It is reached along an avenue of cypress trees starting from the nearby Museo Risorgimentale di Solferino; on the façade, two mosaics depict Saint Peter and the Redeemer, surmounted by a statue of the Madonna with two angels.
At the entrance are five busts of French generals who fell in the Italian campaign; on the left is a bronze bust of Napoleon III, and on the right a small pyramid in memory of General Auger, who died of his wounds. The site is part of the monumental complexes managed by the Società Solferino e San Martino, together with the Museo and the Rocca di Solferino and the complex of San Martino della Battaglia.
Key themes
- 1,413 skulls and bones of the fallen of 24 June 1859
- Avenue of cypress trees leading to the church
- Busts of the five French generals at the entrance
- Bronze bust of Napoleon III
Permanent exhibition
- Chiesa-ossario di San Pietro in Vincoli – Ossuary with the skulls and bones of the fallen of the battles of Solferino and San Martino of 1859.
- Founded
- 1880
- Operated by
- Società Solferino e San Martino
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission to the church-ossuary.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
From the Solferino museum, follow an avenue of cypress trees rising gently up to the church.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | The ossuary is located near the Museo Risorgimentale di Solferino, which charges admission. Opening times of the ossuary are not listed separately on the website. |
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