Giardini-Naxos. Roman square (Piazza Roma)

Via Umberto I led me to the Municipal Square (Piazza Municipio), as it is called by locals, although officially it is called the Roma Square (Piazza Roma).

There is indeed a city hall building on the square, but it turned out to be under repair, fenced and closed with scaffolding, so it did not attract my attention.

However, I managed to watch an interesting event on the square. At first, I thought that there was a grand opening of a new monument.

However, when I got closer, I found the date on the monument: 1923. The monument is dedicated to the residents of Giardini Naxos who died in the First World War. Initially, in 1918, a memorial plaque with the names of the dead was opened here, and in 1923 a pyatyatnik made of white marble was installed.

Today was November 4, on this day in Italy they celebrate the Day of National Unity and the Armed Forces (Giorno dell'Unità Nazionale e Festa delle Forze Armate), representatives of the city administration, clergy and local residents came here to pay tribute to the memory of their dead fellow citizens. I would like to note the fact that in Italy, even in the smallest settlement, there is a memorial sign about the war of 1914-1918, but I have never seen monuments dedicated to the Second World War. Italians prefer not to remember the Mussolini era and their participation in the war on the side of the Nazis.

To the left was a group of officers representing the Army, Navy, and air force, as well as the Carabinieri Corps.

The event was attended by people of all ages, from schoolchildren to the very elderly. I noticed that there are relatively many young people who usually have little interest in political events.

I can add that on the square there are family apartments for tourists Casa Residenza Corso Umberto and Casa Lungomare (in season from 120 euros per day), bar Italia and cafe Pura Vida.