Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi, Turin
The Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi occupies a special place in Turin. After all, the person it commemorates still lives in the hearts of the Italians as a symbol of their freedom and independence. The monument to the national hero of Italy looms large on the bank of the Po river. It is one of the most popular landmarks in Turin, both among tourists and the locals.
Personality and history of creation
Perhaps everyone has heard the name of this man once in his life. As soon as the revolution broke out in Italy in 1848, Garibaldi joined it. His volunteer corps fought desperately and bravely throughout the war. After the defeat, Giuseppe settled on a small island. Although in 1858, the second war for the independence of Italy began. When peace was established, Garibaldi was elected a deputy but refused political tumult. During his lifetime, Giuseppe was adored by common people. In 1876, he agreed to a generous lifelong pension, which he donated to charity.
After the death of the Risorgimento hero on 2 June, 1882, a campaign for the creation of the monument was initiated. Citizens collected 8,000 lire, and authorities added another 100,000. The project was handled by the famous sculptor Odoardo Tabacchi from 1884 to 1887. On the 6 of November, 1887, the monument was opened. In 2002, it was included in the programme of decorative urban lighting timed to coincide with the Winter Olympics. In 2011, the monument was restored.
Sculptural composition
Being 10 metres high, the monument looks majestic. The pedestal is surrounded by large stone blocks that symbolize the island of Caprera, where Giuseppe lived after the revolution and where he died. The statue of a revolutionary looks as if carved from a rock. A slightly angular figure is depicted in full length wearing a scarf, with a sword on its knee.
The lower part of the pedestal features sculptures of a lion and a woman with a flag. The first one symbolizes the people, and the second one is a symbol of the country. At the sides of the pedestal, there are a bull with the coat of arms of Turin and a shield with the inscription "I mille". Many see the shape of a human face concealed in the phrase. See the monument and check if it's true yourself!
How to get there
The statue is located on the waterfront of Lungo Po Armando Diaz near the crossroads of Corso Cairoli and Via dei Mille. The back of Garibaldi is turned to the river while his face looks in the direction of the city. Two big bridges of Vittorio Emanuele I and Umberto I connect the sides of the Po river. The monument stands close to a public transport stop of Fermata Mazzini. You can reach it by tram routes 7, 9, 16CD, 16CS; and bus routes 24, 33, 52, 93.
