Monument to the Sardinian Army, Turin
Monument to the Sardinian Army in Turin (Monumento all'Alfiere dell'Esercito Sardo) is a symbol of Risorgimento. Everyone who has ever been to Turin, saw this simple monument in the center of the city. After the first war of independence with Austria in 1848-1849 a shaky truce was observed for a long time. At that time, the Kingdom of Sardinia was the most active in the political and military sphere. And on January 15, 1857, the Milan patriots sent funds to Turin to erect a monument to the army of a neighboring state.
The sculptor Vincenzo Vela was working on the project. Soon the statue was ready and discussions began about its location. After much debate, it was decided to build a monument on Piazza Castello, in the center of the city. On April 10, 1859, it was opened near the Palazzo Madama, in which the Parliament of Piedmont was located. This decision was rather provocative towards Austria. And 16 days later the second war for independence with Austria broke out, which subsequently ended successfully.
Sculpture
The monument has a total height of 10 meters. The pedestal is made out of pink granite, there is a bronze bas-relief with the image of a rider and soldiers. The sculpture of the standard-bearer, made out of white marble, crowns the monument. The soldier squeezes the sword in the right hand, and in the left he holds the Italian flag. A cannon and an oak branch with leaves lies at his feet.
The inscription "I Milanesi all'esercito sardo il dì 15 gennaio 1857" is engraved on the top of the pedestal. It points to the initiators and sponsors of the creation of the monument, and it is connected with an interesting story. At the time of the opening of the monument, Milan was still occupied by Austrian troops. Therefore, the inscription was closed by a black plate until June 8, when the combined forces of Sardinia and France released Milan. During the restoration of the square, the monument was moved several times, but not far, and it continues to merge with the light background of the Madama Palace.
How to get there
The monument is located on the central square of Turin, Piazza Castello. In the nearby palace there is the Museum of Ancient Art. The nearest public transport station is Castello. Trams 7, 13, 15, and buses № 13N, 55, 56, 3904, 3991, N04, N10, S04, W01, W15, W60 go to it.
