The white tower
Seen from the road.
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The largest of the national memorials at El Alamein, raised by Italy for its soldiers who fell in the First and Second Battles of El Alamein in 1942, on Tel el-Eisa, known as Hill 33, a scene of heavy fighting near the coast. It was designed and built by the architect Paolo Caccia Dominioni, who had fought in the battle himself and spent years after the war gathering soldiers' remains from the desert. It consists of a white octagonal tower about thirty-three metres high, ringed by low buildings of simple modern lines. Inside are white marble halls whose walls are covered with plaques naming about five thousand two hundred soldiers, many marked «ignoto», unknown, along with a small chapel with altar and cross, a small museum and a bust of Caccia Dominioni. Entry is usually free, with the caretaker opening it by day. The white tower can be seen from afar on the coast road, and it combines with the nearby German memorial and the Commonwealth cemetery on one tour.
Seen from the road.
Thousands of names.
Soldier and architect.
Tel el-Eisa, west of El Alamein town near the coast
Best by car: start with the Commonwealth cemetery and the museum at El Alamein, then head west on the coast road to the German and Italian memorials, in about half a day.