Monument to the Fallen of the Battery Masotto, Messina

Monument to the Fallen of the Battery Masotto was installed in memory of the soldiers who died during the battle near the city of Adua on March 1, 1896. Located on one of the longest streets in the city – Liberty Avenue, in the center of Messina.

The Battle of Adua was the last battle in the Italian-Ethiopian War, which lasted from 1895 to 1896. Then the command of the Italian army received orders for a decisive offensive. The strength of the Italian army was 20,000, while the Ethiopian army included about 90,000 soldiers. During the battle, more than 11,000 Italian soldiers were killed, 4,000 people were taken prisoner. The defeat of the Italian army put an end to the war, and on October 23, 1896, a peace agreement was signed in Addis Ababa, in which Italy recognized the sovereignty of Ethiopia.

The composition of the monument

The monument in honor of the fallen soldiers is the work of the Italian sculptor Salvatore Buemi. The statue is made of bronze, it was erected in 1897.

The composition is represented by the images of three soldiers: one of them has already fallen, the second is wounded, but continues to squeeze the musket in his hand and the hip rests on the gun, while the third tries to support the head and shields from a menacing position.

The pedestal for the monument is made of marble and has the form of a classical altar. On several sides there are bronze plaques bearing the names of the warriors of the Masotto battery. On the sides of the main composition of the monument are two field guns, they are not original and have been restored several times.

The grand opening of the monument was held in 1899 by the mayor of Messina, A. Martino.

How to get

Monument to the Fallen of the Battery Masotto is located in the central part of Messina, close to the main sights of the city. You can get here when you walk around the city.