The relationship between space and traces of urban memory in the post-war towns on the Gustav line

War generates "denied cities" whose physical characterisation and historical memory has been lost. The war events erased the signs of the city in its signifier, constituted by the urban structures, as well as in its meaning, which manifests itself in the identity of the place. In these cases, rebuilding the urban layout is a very complex operation. This contribution shows how to intercept the traces of the past, among what remains of the destruction, to tell the story of the countries in their pre-war order, thus creating a link with the past. The procedure is applied to two case studies, both located on the Gustav Line, the village of San Pietro Infine and the city of Cassino.