Statue of Giordano Bruno, Bronze statue in Campo de' Fiori, Rome, Italy
The Monument to Giordano Bruno is a bronze statue by Ettore Ferrari, unveiled in 1889 in Campo de' Fiori. The hooded figure stands with its right foot forward, hands crossed over a closed book, its gaze directed toward the Vatican. The bronze rests on a plinth of pink Baveno granite bearing eight medallions with busts of thinkers who clashed with religious authorities.
Ettore Ferrari created the sculpture in 1889, three centuries after the Inquisition burned Giordano Bruno at this spot. The unveiling coincided with political tensions between the newly unified Italian state and the Vatican.
The figure wears a heavy cloak with the hood pulled low and holds its arms crossed over a closed book. Eight round medallions on the base show portraits of thinkers who opposed church doctrine.
The monument sits in the middle of the market square, where vendors spread out with fruit and vegetables. Access is level, although people often stand close around the base during the day.
The base carries the inscription "A BRUNO - IL SECOLO DA LUI DIVINATO - QUI DOVE IL ROGO ARSE", and in 1991 a small portrait of Martin Luther was found hidden inside the Vanini medallion. The Paolo Sarpi medallion was first meant for Galileo, dropped because he recanted.
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