Monument to Dante, Marble statue in Piazza Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
The Monument to Dante is a white Carrara marble statue depicting the poet standing with a stern expression, wearing a laurel crown and holding the Divine Comedy. The sculpture rises on an ornate base in the square, presenting Dante in a classical pose.
The monument was unveiled on May 14, 1865, marking the 600th anniversary of Dante's birth, with King Victor Emmanuel II attending the ceremony. After the Florence flood of November 1966, the statue was relocated from the square's center to its present location near the basilica.
The pedestal displays four Marzocco lions holding shields carved with titles of Dante's works. Surrounding them are the coats of arms from forty Italian cities, symbolizing the poet's connection to the entire nation.
The statue is located in Piazza Santa Croce and is easily accessible near the basilica of the same name. The square provides an open space without barriers where you can view the monument from different angles.
The sculptor Enrico Pazzi placed a Roman eagle atop the monument instead of the Habsburg double-headed eagle, making a political statement against foreign rule. This choice was a deliberate artistic act of resistance to Austrian control.
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