Mausoleo di Malaparte

Curzio Malaparte's mausoleum stands on Monte Le Coste above Prato, at the summit known as Spazzavento. Simple stone forms and inscriptions from Maledetti Toscani connect the writer's grave with the landscape of his native city.

Why it matters

The site reflects Malaparte's expressed wish to be buried on the exposed hill. His words combine attachment to Prato with the provocative voice familiar from his writing, making the monument a form of literary self-portrait.

What to notice

The travertine monument avoids elaborate ornament. Two carved inscriptions give the setting a verbal as well as a visual character, relating the open summit to the writer's reflections on belonging. The outlook over the Bisenzio plain places Prato within the wider landscape that the text evokes.

Context and history

Born Kurt Erich Suckert in Prato in 1898, Malaparte became a journalist and novelist, known for works including Kaputt and La pelle. He died in Rome in 1957 and was initially buried in Prato's cemetery. His remains were transferred to the summit mausoleum in 1961, giving permanent form to the connection between his writing and his native landscape.