Pratovecchio Stia

The monument is a stone structure divided into two sections that converge on a central column. Two other columns are located on their outer sides. On the right section of the monument there is a large bronze bas-relief depicting a dying soldier in typical First World War uniform. His last glance is towards a female figure, one of whose hands is resting on a shield bearing the Savoy coat of arms, while the other is holding a lance or flagpole. The woman represents Italy, or more generally, the Fatherland. Under the bas-relief, in bronze lettering in relief, is the dedication of the former Municipality of Stia to its Fallen (in 2014 Stai merged with Pratovecchio, which became the new seat of the municipality). In the left section, on a large stone slab, the names of the dead are listed in three columns according to the war in question, and generally in alphabetical order. There is 1 dead in the Italo-Turkish War (1911 – 1912); 61 in World War I (1915 – 1918); and 36 in World War II (1940 – 1945). It is more difficult to identify the remaining 2 who died in 1936 – 1937, since this covers part of the time-span of both the Ethiopian War (1935 – 1936) and the Spanish Civil War (1936 – 1939). Here too, all the lettering is in bronze and in relief. The monument stands on a square stone platform on two levels. At the four corners are stone pillars supporting the surrounding chain. At the front of the monument, this finely-wrought iron chain carries the coat of arms of the Italian Republic. The monument is located on the right-hand side of the driveway leading to the old Stia cemetery, where there are other monuments, plaques and memorial stones dedicated to the War Dead, thus forming a sort of small Garden of Remembrance.