The Douaumont Ossuary, located near Verdun in France, is a significant stop when visiting World War I memorial sites. In this area, near the village and fortress of Douaumont, lie the remains of about 130,000 French and German soldiers, most of whom are unidentified and rest beneath black and white crosses, symbolizing the different sides of the conflict. For a grueling 300 days in 1916, the armies fought relentlessly, with 26 million tons of bombs exploding and claiming at least 300,000 lives.
The ossuary itself, surrounded by vast green meadows dotted with thousands of these two-colored crosses, is a striking sight. Its grand design resembles the hilt of a giant sword, symbolically thrust into the ground to declare an end to war, although sadly, just six years after its completion, war resumed. This impressive structure, crafted by architects Léon Azéma, Max Edrei, and Jacques Hardy, stretches 138 meters in length. Under its long barrel vault lies a war museum, numerous individual graves, and the ossuary. The Tower of the Dead, rising 46 meters high, offers visitors a panoramic view of the area and the now peaceful fields that were once battlefields 100 years ago.
Between April and November, guided tours of the World War I sites around Verdun are available, including a visit to Douaumont. These tours cost 27 Euros and typically run from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.