It stands at the center of Piazza degli Eroi, north of the center of San Cataldo, and is among the most elegant and emblematic monuments in the province of Caltanissetta. Designed as a civic project, it appears as a tall multi-tiered obelisk, carved in local stone and topped by a bronze eagle with outspread wings, a symbol of victory and rebirth. At the base of the obelisk, a bronze figure of a soldier solemnly offers to the sky the sacrifice of the fallen heroes, a tribute to the dedication of San Cataldo’s citizens in every conflict. The pedestal bears the engraved names of 280 citizens of San Cataldo who died in the First World War, listed by surname and accompanied by the date and place of sacrifice, according to official municipal archives. Later, commemorative plaques were added in honor of the fallen of the Spanish Civil War, the Albanian campaign, and the conflicts of the Second World War, ideally extending remembrance to all the military victims of the province.
The 2006 restoration involved the consolidation of the stone surfaces and the recovery of bronze details, financed by the Sicilian Region and coordinated by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, which ensured the preservation of the original elements and historical patina. Today, the monument is surrounded by exotic palms and well-kept flowerbeds, and during official ceremonies – particularly on November 4, National Unity and Armed Forces Day – the square fills with authorities, students, and military associations who lay laurel wreaths at the foot of the obelisk, while the silence is solemnly broken by the sound of bells and military honors. For visitors, Piazza degli Eroi and its monument offer not only a moment of reflection on the past but also an example of how public art can preserve and transmit collective memory: the alternation of solids and voids in the obelisk, the material contrast between stone and bronze, and the choice of a classically styled eagle evoke a dialogue between tradition and civic pride that for nearly a century has accompanied the history and identity of San Cataldo.