Italy 1943–1945
Abbey of Monte Cassino
Abbey
The story
Founded by Saint Benedict around 529, destroyed on 15 February 1944 and rebuilt 'where it was, as it was', the abbey is the reason Cassino is famous. Its bombing remains the most argued-over act of the Italian campaign. Today it is again a working monastery, with a museum and wide views over the battlefield.
What to look for
Look at photographs of the ruins inside, the rebuilt basilica and the view from the terrace down to the town and the Liri valley.
Plan your visit
Daily 09:30–18:30 (Apr–Oct), shorter in winter; museum Sundays and holidays only in winter. Modest dress required; paid parking. Check before you go.
- Open
- Apr–Oct daily 09:30–18:30; Nov–Mar 09:30–16:50 (Sun to 17:15); visits paused during services
- Price
- Museum €6 adults; €4 school-age children and groups of 10+
- Notice
- No entry in low-cut or very short clothing; no pets. Abbey museum Nov–Mar open Sun & holidays only
Checked September 2026 from official sources: abbaziamontecassino.it, abbaziamontecassino.it. Things change, so check before you travel.
Nearby sites
- Polish War Cemetery and Memorial Museum, Monte Cassino · under 1 km
- Rocca Janula (Castle Hill), Cassino · 1 km
- Point 593 memorial, Monte Cassino · 1 km
- Historiale museum, Cassino · 1 km
- Cassino War Cemetery and Memorial · 2 km
- German War Cemetery, Caira · 5 km
All 96 sites in Italy 1943–1945 →
Into Europe: Italy 1943–1945
A free field guide for your phone: the route, the maps and the stories built in, even with no signal. The places of the Allied campaign in Italy, from the Sicily landings of July 1943 through Salerno, the Winter Line, Ortona, Cassino and Anzio, Rome, the Gothic Line and the final battles on the Senio and the Po in April 1945.
Open the guide