Famedio, Memorial monument in Montenero, Livorno, Italy
The Famedio di Montenero is a portico of nine round arches on Tuscan pilasters, about fifty metres long, on the square facing the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie. Cast-iron gates by the Fratelli Gambaro workshop screen the arches, and a terrace at the top is no longer accessible.
The portico of five arches was begun in 1794 under Abbot Rodesindo Marcucci to shelter pilgrims, and work stopped during the Napoleonic occupation. Four more arches were added around 1853 under Abbot Vitaliano Corelli, bringing the loggia to nine arches. On 5 October 1873 Mayor Federigo De Larderel had it used as a memorial for the city's illustrious men, receiving the remains of Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi before more than 9,000 people.
The name famedio, proposed by Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi, means "temple of fame". Since 5 October 1873, when Guerrazzi's remains were placed here before 9,000 onlookers, the loggia has held the tombs of Livorno figures such as the painter Giovanni Fattori (since 1908) and the actor Ernesto Rossi (since 1928). Others, including Pietro Mascagni and Amedeo Modigliani, are remembered by commemorative plaques rather than burial.
The loggia stands on the piazza directly in front of the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, reached by a large access staircase. The terrace on top of the portico is not open to visitors. The structure was restored and reopened to the public on 23 September 2021, so parts may still be closed for maintenance.
In 1873 the transition from a pilgrim shelter to an official memorial was marked by a ceremony that drew thousands of attendees. This event signaled the beginning of a new era for the site, which has remained an important place of remembrance for the city ever since.
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