Footsteps of WWII · Belgium & Luxembourg

Mardasson Memorial, Bastogne

Memorial · Dec 1944 – Jan 1945; inaugurated 16 Jul 1950

The story

The memorial stands on Mardasson hill, chosen partly because it lies on the divide between the Meuse and Rhine basins and looks over the ground held during the siege. Earth from the site was presented to President Truman on 4 July 1946. Designed by the Belgian architect Georges Dedoyard, the memorial was inaugurated on 16 July 1950 in the presence of Prince Baudouin and General Anthony McAuliffe. It is a five-pointed star 12 m high with 31 m sides, carrying the names of the then 48 US states and, on its pillars, the history of the battle and the main American units. In 2020 the Belgian state handed its management to the American Battle Monuments Commission.

What to look for

Climb the spiral stairs to the walkway on top for a panorama of the siege perimeter. Read the ten stone panels describing the battle and the Latin dedication from the Belgian people, then go down to the crypt with three altars and mosaics by Fernand Léger.

Plan your visit

Open-air memorial beside the Bastogne War Museum, free, with shared parking. Run since 2020 by the American Battle Monuments Commission, which now calls it the Battle of the Bulge Monument. Crypt access may be limited; check before you go.

Nearby sites

• Bastogne War Museum · under 1 km
• Bastogne Barracks (McAuliffe's HQ) · 1 km
• Bois Jacques foxholes, Foy · 3 km
• Recogne German war cemetery · 4 km
• Houffalize and its Panther tank · 14 km
• National Museum of Military History, Diekirch · 34 km

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