Museum of the battle (Mu.Ba.) of Ortona

In 1943, the Allied bombing of Ortona and its surroundings lasted six months with a view to breaking though this important section of the Gustav Line. From 20^th to 28^th December 1943, a fierce battle took place between German paratroopers and units of the First Canadian Infantry Division. Winston Churchill dubbed it the ‘Stalingrad of Italy’, as almost every home in Ortona were destroyed and many soldiers were killed on both sides.

In 2002, the Museum of the Battle (Mu.Ba.) was set up in the former convent of Sant’Anna, which had previously been destroyed in the fighting. The museum tour describes the battle from the perspective of the combatants, the role and suffering of the civilian population, military strategy, and the reaction of the national and international press.

A memorial erected in the heart of Ortona commemorates the many Allied soldiers who fell during the battle, one of the heaviest and most significant losses for the Canadian army.