Monument to Marco Minghetti, Bologna
The monument of Marco Mingetti (Monumento a Marco Minghetti) in Bologna stands on a small and beautiful square of the same name in the city center. A simple and ordinary-looking statue is dedicated to another politician of the time of the Risorgimento. However this time the politician is directly related to the city.
Historical person
Marco Mingetti was born (1818) and grew up in Bologna where he became famous as a journalist. Marco became a minister later in his adulthood and soon was elected a deputy in the Roman Council. The struggle for independence began shortly after, and he joined the Piedmont army as a soldier. Once everything ended, Marco was accepted to the Cabinet of Ministers of Camillo Benso di Cavura in 1859. Later he was the minister of various departments in different offices and even headed the government for some time. The politician achieved the greatest success as Minister of Finance – for the first time, there were no government budget deficits. Marco was also a famous writer and one of the best speakers of his time. He died in Rome in 1886.
Sculptural design
In 1893, a small green square in the city center was named after the politician. Then it was decided to create a monument. The sculptor Giulio Monteverde who also created the monument to Victor Emmanuel II in Bologna was put in charge of the project. The monument opening was held on June 28, 1896, and attended by the city authorities. Its base which is 4.5 meters high is made of the pink granite of Baveno. A bronze statue that weighs 2.2 tons and stands 3.9 meters high is installed on a plinth.
The minister is depicted as if giving another of his speeches. He is holding his hat that he took off in the left hand, the other hand reaches out to the audience. Marco Mingetti’s detractors made fun of the statue at the time. They said that the politician is depicted as if begging for money to resolve the financial issues of the state.
How to get
The monument is located in the historic center of Bologna, on Piazza Minghetti. A lot of old palaces, as well as the monument to Galvani, Museum of History and Archaeological Museum, can be found nearby. The closest bus stop is Piazza Minghetti (buses № 11, 13, 14, 19, 20, 30, 62, 90, 96, C, T2).
