Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Black Rocks of Pungo Andongo
Abandoned Observatory of the Pioneer Palace
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Two suitcases in an empty airport hall.
AO Mailbag: Is It Normal to Share a Checked Bag With Your Boyfriend?
Kolaches
How Texas Became an Unlikely Epicenter for Czech Pastries
What I Found Driving Across Northern Michigan
What I Found Driving Down Highway 61

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy San Donato-Moro Moro River Canadian War Cemetery

Moro River Canadian War Cemetery

The largest Canadian war cemetery in Italy commemorates those who died in one of the bloodiest battles of the Italian campaign during World War II.

San Donato-Moro, Italy

Added By
StepYoshi
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Ra Boe / Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 2.5
  RaBoe / Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 2.5
  Ra Boe / Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In July of 1943, the Allied troops invaded Sicily, sparking what would be a nearly two-year-long campaign to liberate Italy from the Axis forces. The Battle of Ortona, which took place during what’s now referred to as “Bloody December,” was one of the most devastating battles of World War II that took place in Italy. Today, Ortona is home to the largest Canadian war cemetery in Italy, the final resting spot for the thousands of Canadian soldiers, among other soldiers and civilians who fought or died during the battle.

By late 1943, the Allied troops were slowly fighting their way north along the Adriatic coast. The Canadian troops were stopped at Moro River near Ortona, a city in Abruzzo that had been occupied by German forces. On December 20, 1943, they attacked the city. The following days saw house-to-house fighting so brutal that the town was referred to as the "Italian Stalingrad.” Ortona was transformed into a war zone, and thousands of soldiers and civilians were killed before German troops abandoned the town.

To commemorate those who died in and around Moro River and Ortona, a war cemetery was built between 1944 and 1945. The cemetery contains a total of 1,665 graves, 1,375 of which are Canadian.

Related Tags

World War Ii Cemeteries Canada Italy Military

Know Before You Go

The cemetery is always open to the public, and is accessible by wheelchair. 

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

StepYoshi

Published

June 19, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/those-who-served/christmas-at-the-front/history/ortona
  • http://www.rcsigs.ca/index.php/Moro_River_Canadian_War_Cemetery
Moro River Canadian War Cemetery
Contrada San Donato
San Donato-Moro, 66028
Italy
42.336245, 14.416771
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Relics of the Apostle St. Thomas

Ortona, Italy

miles away

Cammino di San Tommaso Fountain of Wine

Villa Caldari, Italy

miles away

The Warrior of Capestrano

Chieti, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,064
Stories 111

Nearby Places

Relics of the Apostle St. Thomas

Ortona, Italy

miles away

Cammino di San Tommaso Fountain of Wine

Villa Caldari, Italy

miles away

The Warrior of Capestrano

Chieti, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,064
Stories 111

Related Places

  • Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery

    Cannock, England

    Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery

    Austrian and Germans who died on British soil during World War I and II are buried here.

  • Flowers growing on a mass grave.

    Saint Petersburg, Russia

    Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery

    This memorial complex contains several mass graves for victims of the Siege of Leningrad.

  • Tombstones at the lapidarium of the Schönhauser Allee Cemetery.

    Berlin, Germany

    Schönhauser Allee Cemetery

    Inside this Jewish cemetery is a memorial to soldiers who deserted the German army and were executed.

  • Warsaw, Poland

    Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery

    The final resting place of more than 200,000 people, this is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe.

  • Jinja War Cemetery.

    Jinja, Uganda

    Jinja War Cemetery

    The final resting place of soldiers who fell during the First and Second World Wars.

  • Warsaw, Poland

    Grave of Rudolf Kwiek

    The final resting place of the last "gypsy king" of Poland.

  • The Polish graves.

    Mbala, Zambia

    Mbala Pioneer Cemetery

    A small cemetery on a hill overlooking Mbala contains the history of the town's colonial past.

  • Taukkyan War Cemetery.

    Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

    Taukkyan War Cemetery

    Myanmar's beautiful cemetery for Allied soldiers who perished during World War II.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.