Italy Ara Pacis

The Ara Pacis of Medea is a monumental complex created in 1951 to symbolically commemorate soldiers who died in all wars. Its idea was promoted by a National Committee formed by the main war veterans associations and the Assistance Committee of the Vatican after WW II. This monument was meant to symbolically lead men towards peace and brotherhood without the need of resorting to the cruelty of war. The Hill of Medea was the location chosen for this monument; Medea is a small village in the Friulian plain, halfway between Gorizia and Palmanova, a former observation point during the WW I. The construction of this monument started on the top of this hill, at 135m ASL, in late December 1950 under the direction of engineers Sirtori and Mocellini and following a project by architect Mario Bacciocchi from Milan. The imposing monument covers an area of 1550 sqm and took less than 6 months to complete. A staircase from the parking lot leads to the Ara Pacis surrounded by a massive fence in travertine marble. The sides facing north and south are open in the middle, while the side facing east consists of 14 close pillars, each 13m high. Inside, you can see the actual ara (altar), built in porphyry from the Camonica Valley, 3m long and 5m high, squared.

Inside this altar, an urn in wood and bronze bears the inscription Odium parit mortem, vitam progignit amor ("hatred produces death, love generates life"). The urn holds the soil of 800 war cemeteries in Italy (including foreign cemeteries) and, following a blessing received on the Altar of the Fatherland in Rome, was brought to Medea and placed inside the altar on 06th May 1951.

Great location for night photography with ultra wide lenses.

Best and only way to get here is by car (free park available). Open 24 hours (simply walk through the pillars).