335 - Rome Remembers the Fosse Ardeatine Massacre

A date that belongs to the entire city

In Rome, March 24th is no ordinary anniversary. It is the day the city returns, through a public and shared gesture, to the 1944 Fosse Ardeatine massacre, when 335 men—civilians, soldiers, partisans, Roman Jews, people of all ages and backgrounds—were killed by Nazi occupation troops in the pozzolana quarries along Via Ardeatina. Since then, the commemoration has been renewed every year, and in recent editions, it has taken the form of a true civic event simply titled by a number: 335, the number of victims.

Morning at the Fosse Ardeatine Mausoleum

The day begins at the Fosse Ardeatine Mausoleum on Via Ardeatina, a symbolic site of the Italian Resistance and a shrine housing the remains of the victims, some of whom remain unidentified. The official ceremony takes place here, attended by the President of the Republic, the highest state officials, the Mayor of Rome, and the President of the Lazio Region. The laying of a laurel wreath before the shrine is accompanied by an interfaith prayer, a sign of the plural composition of that group of men and the significance the memory holds for the entire city community.

Afternoon in Piazza del Campidoglio

In the afternoon, the remembrance moves to the city center. In Piazza del Campidoglio, the institutional heart of Rome, the "335 - Rome Remembers the Fosse Ardeatine Massacre" initiative is held, promoted by the City of Rome in collaboration with ANFIM (National Association of Italian Families of Martyrs) and the Jewish Community of Rome. The most recognizable gesture is the banner featuring the names of all 335 victims, unfurled along the Michelangelo-designed Cordonata up to the statue of Marcus Aurelius: a long list that restores the names behind the number, also recalling the Gold Medal for Military Valor for the Resistance awarded to the city of Rome.

Words, music, and testimonies

The Capitoline event is not merely a formal ceremony: it is structured as a collective journey of reflection that alternates between institutional speeches, musical performances, and readings. Alongside the Mayor and the Councilor for Culture of Rome, representatives from ANFIM and the Roman Jewish Community—the entities most directly safeguarding the family memory of the massacre—take the stage. University students read letters and testimonies from the victims' families, while live music—from the Rome Local Police band to the children's choir of the Teatro dell'Opera in previous editions—accompanies the moments of reflection.

An open and free event

Participation is free and open to all: the square remains accessible to citizens, schools, associations, and visitors in Rome at that time. Many schools in the capital and the Lazio region include this date in their civic education curricula, and it is not uncommon to see entire classes walking up the Cordonata reading the names on the banner. The Mausoleum, managed by ANFIM, is also open to the public with free admission and offers guided tours by appointment throughout the year.

Why attend

Those who attend are not witnessing a performance but one of the most intense civic rituals in the Roman calendar. The combination of the sobriety of the shrine on Via Ardeatina and the solemn scenery of the square designed by Michelangelo creates a contrast that leaves a lasting impression. It is also an opportunity to learn about a decisive chapter in the history of Rome and Italy, in a city where the sites of the Second World War—from the Historical Museum of the Liberation on Via Tasso to the Portico d'Ottavia—are still perfectly preserved and visitable as part of the same itinerary.