Monumento al Marinaio d'Italia

Located in the port city of Brindisi, Italy, <source_material>the Monumento al Marinaio d'Italia, also known as Monumento al Marinaio d'Italia, stands tall, reaching a height of 53 meters. The monument is in the shape of a giant ship's wheel and is made of concrete covered with local golden carparo stone. The monument, which was built in 1933, for commemorating approximately 6000 sailors who died during World War I at the request of Benito Mussolini, is colloquially known among Brindisi residents as ‘la jatta ‘ssittata' ('the seated cat').</source_material>

In 1954, a statue of the Virgin Mary was placed in a niche below the monument's summit. In 1965, an eternal flame, an ara votiva, and lapidary dedications for sailors who died during World War II were installed. In 1968, a ship's bell from the sunken corazzata Benedetto Brin was recovered and placed in the monument's crypt. In 2014, the Ministry of Defense transferred ownership of the monument to the municipality of Brindisi. In 2017, models of the Regia Nave Benedetto Brin and a statue of Saint Barbara were placed inside the monument's crypt.

The monument is now managed by the Brindisi commune and is accessible from a plaza behind the port. Visitors can ascend the monument to the highest point via a spiral staircase or an elevator. From the top of the monument, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the city, the port, the Adriatic Sea, and the Brindisi airport. The monument's crypt is also open to visit.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons