Piazza Basilone Memorial
With tables and chairs, benches and stoops, with a fountain constantly gurgling a serene background noise and the bay just within eyesight, this urban piazza in the heart of Little Italy is just amazing. Enjoy a coffee, a rendezvous or a book while you bask in a sunlit day with a cool bay breeze. This memorial to neighborhood soldiers who died during the Korean War is a beautiful monument to these heroes. It serves as a tranquil oasis in the middle of one of the busiest blocks in the city.
Look at the benches and the names of some of the locals who paid for a brick. It is a virtual who’s who of the history of Little Italy. A beautiful fountain is at the heart of the piazza. The fountain serves as a reminder of the relationship that this neighborhood has had with the sea. At the western edge of the piazza is a bust of Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone.
