An octagon fortress
After Castel del Monte.
Made by Dominik Knippel (Niedernberg) — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roland Unger — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roland Unger — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roland Unger — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Einsamer Schütze — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roland Unger — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roland Unger — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sarah Kamal Abdelaziz — CC BY-SA 4.0
A memorial and ossuary for German soldiers who fell in the North African campaign, standing on a hill above the Mediterranean west of El Alamein, inaugurated on 28 October 1959. The memorial is a massive, fortress-like octagon of Egyptian limestone modelled on Castel del Monte in southern Italy, about forty-two metres across with corners some twelve metres high. Inside is an open courtyard centred on a dark obelisk flanked by stone eagles, ringed by arched halls whose plaques and mosaics bear the names of about four thousand two hundred German soldiers, with symbolic sarcophagi and German inscriptions calling for peace and respect for life. Entry is usually free, with the caretaker opening the doors to visitors by day. It is a few kilometres from the Italian memorial, and from its walls there is a view over sea and desert.
After Castel del Monte.
At the courtyard's heart.
From the hilltop.
Tel el-Alamein, west of El Alamein town, overlooking the sea
It usually opens by day through a resident caretaker; if the door is shut, wait a little or call for him.