San Pietro Infine

The old village was destroyed in December 1943: the Gustav Line ran through here, people hid in what they called the valley caves and on Monte Sambucaro, and on that stretch of front, at Monte Lungo, Italian soldiers fought alongside the Allies for the first time. John Huston filmed it all: his documentary is called The Battle of San Pietro.

In 1950 the survivors were given a new village, built further down the slope; the ruins of the old one were left where they stood and are today the Park of Historical Memory, with the museum designed by the set designer Carlo Rambaldi. In 1959 Monicelli shot some scenes of The Great War here. The name says the border: San Pietro «in fine», at the end of the Land of Saint Benedict.