8th Evac Hospital - Pietramala

An American field hospital on the Gothic Line

The 8th Evac Hospital - Pietramala is a historical re-enactment and living history event dedicated to the 8th Evacuation Hospital, the US military hospital stationed in Pietramala, a small village in the Municipality of Firenzuola, during the winter of 1944-1945. The event takes place at the Pro Loco of Pietramala, on Via Pietramala Mulino, in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines in the Province of Florence, in the heart of the Mugello region and Tuscany.

The history being re-enacted

In the autumn of 1944, as the Allied advance slowed down before the Gothic Line and the offensive towards Bologna, the 8th Evacuation Hospital was moved to a muddy field in Pietramala, north of Florence, where it remained for about six months. It was one of the most advanced and freezing points of the entire II Corps front: rain soon gave way to snow, the ground remained covered almost continuously from December to March, and thousands of truckloads of stone were needed to make the camp and roads passable. In that hospital, founded and managed by doctors and nurses from the University of Virginia, thousands of wounded and sick soldiers were treated. The re-enactment restores the memory of this little-known chapter of the war fought in the Tuscan mountains.

What to see in the field

For two days, the Pro Loco area is transformed into a vintage encampment curated by the re-enactors of the Overlord 44 group. Typical features of this type of re-enactment include:

• the reconstruction of military tents and field hospital stations;
• medical equipment and medical supplies that are either original or faithfully reproduced;
• uniforms, vehicles, and gear from the Second World War;
• re-enactors in period clothing illustrating the daily life of medical staff and soldiers.

It is an opportunity for families, military history enthusiasts, and curious visitors to get a tangible sense of the events that shaped these places.

When and where

The 2026 edition is scheduled for Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, 2026, with the site opening on Saturday at 9:30 AM and closing on Sunday afternoon. The event is held at the Pro Loco of Pietramala, Via Pietramala Mulino 226, in Firenzuola (FI). Admission is free and the event is open to everyone.