Monument to the Partisan, Parma

Monument to the Partisan (Monumento al Partigiano) in Parma reminds contemporaries of one of the most bloody events of the 20th century. It perpetuates the struggle of Italian partisans during World War II.

History of creation

Six years after the end of World War II, in April 1951, the partisan associations of Parma proposed the creation of a monument. It was to be dedicated to the struggle against Nazism and fascism in Italy. And the campaign was joined by the most prominent personalities: the Mayor of Parma, the President of the Italian Republic, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers, the presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The fundraising was announced and the location of the monument was determined. In July 1954, a competition of projects took place, on which they chose a sketch of the sculptor Marino Mazzacurati. The architect Guglielmo Lusignoli was the co-author. The monument was opened on June 30, 1956 in the presence of the mayor of the city and the president of Italy.

The sculptural composition consists of 3 elements. A statue of a partisan with a STEN pistol in his hands stands on the stone pedestal, symbolizing the rock near the commune of Sarnico. The figure of a dead fighter of resistance lies below, at the foot of the pedestal. In 1961, the monument became a victim of vandals and was damaged. After the restoration, the statue of the lying partisan was replaced with a copy, the original was placed in the local Villetta cemetery. And in 1966 the monument received a national award in the field of sculpture from the Accademia di San Luca.

How to get there

The monument is located in the heart of Parma, on Piazza della Pace. Right behind it, there is the Pilotta Palace, where there is the Museum Bodoni, and opposite of the statue – the Lombardi Museum. Just outside the monument there is a bus stop Teatro Regio. It can be reached by routes 1, 2, 2N, 15.