How to get there
From Bologna
By public transport, from Bologna Central Station take the regional train to “Porretta Terme” (1h 11′). Then take bus 756 towards “Montese” as far as “Casa Serramonte” (33 minutes). The monument is 400 metres away (7 minutes).
By car, take State Road 64 towards Sasso Marconi and continue beyond Marzabotto and Vergato. Then turn towards Gaggio Montano, then take the SP623 as far as “Guanella” (1h 30′).
From Florence
By public transport it takes about 3 hours. Take the regional train to Porretta Terme from Pistoia (1h 30′). Then take TPER 756 towards “Montese” and get off at “Casa Serramonte” (40′).
By car it takes about 2 hours. Take the A11 as far as Pistoia, then follow the SS64 to Porretta Terme. Continue for another 33 minutes, then turn right towards Gaggio Montano. From here reach the locality of “Guanella”.
In the locality of Abetaia, near Guanella, in the municipality of Gaggio Montano (BO).
The Sculpture
Mary Vieira, a sculptor of remarkable artistic sensitivity, created a monumental work that goes far beyond a simple commemorative function. The monument, conceived in 1996 and completed in 2001 in Guanella, was designed to honour the sacrifice of the Carioca “pracinhas”, a symbol of courage and resilience in the difficult Monte Castello campaign. Her work stands out for its ability to combine tradition and innovation: on the one hand, it gives voice to historical memory and to the pain of a war that saw the loss of countless lives; on the other, it transforms that sacrifice into a message of hope and reconciliation. The harmonious integration of the monument into the urban and landscape context of Guanella testifies to Mary Vieira’s attention to the dialogue between art and environment, making the sculpture a point of reference not only for those who wish to commemorate the past, but also for those seeking a place of reflection and meditation.
The project, carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Brazil and with the assistance of major institutions such as Petrobras and Telebrass, demonstrates the institutional and cultural commitment aimed at keeping alive the memory of the heroes of Monte Castello. On the plaque, the inscription reads: “Under the High Patronage of the Ministry of Culture of Brazil and with the assistance of Petrobras and Telebrass, this monumental work, designed by Mary Vieira in Milan in 1996 and completed in 2001 in memory of the Brazilian heroes of Montecastello, was created.”
The Battle of Monte Castello
The Battle of Monte Castello represents the most important moment of Brazilian participation in the Second World War. In particular, the Força Expedicionária Brasileira (FEB) was a combat contingent sent by Brazil to support the Allies, numbering around 25,000 men, including 15,000 infantry soldiers. The Brazilians entered Italy in the summer of 1944.
On 15 September 1944, the FEB officially began its military campaign, operating in the Camaiore and Garfagnana area, before being transferred in November to the Upper Reno region, with the objective of capturing Monte Castello. Monte Castello was a position defended by German forces belonging to the 232nd “Tridente” Division, formed mainly of veterans from the Russian Front and new recruits from the Frankfurt region. With the aim of taking the stronghold, the Brazilians launched a series of assaults, some of them carried out in extreme weather conditions, due to heavy snowfall and the harshness of the terrain. The battle was particularly bloody, with heavy losses on both sides. The first major counterattack was launched on 24 November, followed by another assault on the 29th of the same month. These two episodes came at a high cost: 416 soldiers killed, many of them belonging to the FEB. The symbolic moment of the tragedy was the episode known as the “Ride towards the Abetaia”, when 17 Brazilian soldiers died in a single company, immortalized in collective memory as “The 17 of Abetaia”.
The attacks followed one another without success for several months. Despite the strength and resilience of the Allies, the German defence managed to hold the position for an entire winter, never yielding in the face of the assaults. Only in February 1945, as part of Operation “Encore”, did the Brazilian soldiers and the Allies find the decisive point of contact needed to break down the German defensive line, and Monte Castello was finally captured after so much sacrifice.
