El Alamein Landmarks and Monuments

(El Alamein, Egypt)



Picture of the German War MemorialThere is little doubt that El Alamein is a town encapsulated by the battle fought here during WWII. Nearly every monument and landmark within El Alamein's environs is dedicated to this event and the soldiers who died here. Each of the Allied countries, as well as Germany and Italy, have separate memorials to remember their fallen soldiers, and all of them are located within the general area of the battlefield.

Many of the visitors who make the journey to El Alamein come to pay homage to their ancestors who fought in this battle, and even for those not directly connected, the memorials and monuments have created a stirring landmark against the stark backdrop of the Egyptian desert.



Further photo of the German War Memorial

German War Memorial

This singular octagonal building was built in 1959 to commemorate the fallen German soldiers of this battle. In typical austere Teutonic style, this imposing El Alamein memorial contains the bodies of 4,280 German soldiers. Perhaps in an attempt to maintain some sense of national pride in the face of defeat, the building looks more like a fortress than a monument. However, the hilltop views over the Mediterranean are worth a visit alone.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: no charge

Axis Army Advance Landmark

Located 3 km / 2 miles west of El Alamein stands a small monument which marks the easternmost advance of Axis forces in North Africa. From the marker, you can look south into the desert and see the faint traces of the Springbock Road, which was the main road used by Allied forces to access the desert. The marker, apparently erected by Axis supporters, reads: 'Lacking Fortune, Not Valor'.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: no charge

View of the Italian Memorial

Italian Memorial

The largest structure at El Alamein's battlefield site is the Italian War Memorial, which sits atop a hill overlooking the sea. The villa-like compound was built by an Italian colonel, and instead of looking at a sea of headstones, visitors walk along a winding path up the hill to an elegant white marble tower, which contains a mosque, chapel and a small museum. The 4,800 Italian soldiers who died, and the 38,000 who were lost at sea, are remembered by inscriptions on the walls. The views from the Italian Memorial over the Mediterranean and surrounding desert are simply stunning.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: no charge

Libyan War Memorial

Although Libyan soldiers fought side by side with the Italians as part of the Axis alliance, they have their own memorial site at El Alamein, due to the differences of their religious burial traditions. A stately mosque stands amid a wonderfully colourful garden, offering a unique variation on the plethora of national war memorials around the El Alamein battlefield. Muslims can pray here for the souls of the fallen soldiers.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: no charge

South African Memorial

This rather stark and unremarkable monument is located about a kilometre west of the more picturesque Greek Memorial, along the southern side of the road. A simple monolith marks the fallen South African soldiers with a dedication reading: 'South Africans outspanned and fought here during their trek from Italian Somaliland to Germany 1939-1945'.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: no charge