Colonna Infame, Limestone memorial column in Piazza Mercantile, Bari, Italy
Colonna Infame is a white marble column set on a four-step concentric platform in Piazza Mercantile. It is topped by a stone ballista sphere, and at its base sits a lion carved from limestone breccia. The lion is a reused Roman piece from a tomb, made by an Apulian-Latin craftsman between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD.
The column was built in the mid-16th century at the wish of Spanish viceroy Pietro di Toledo, though scholars debate the exact date and authorship. It first stood at the Porta di Mare facing the old harbour. A widespread tradition holds that it served as a pillory for forgers and usurers, but no documentary evidence supports this.
The lion at the column's base bears the inscription 'Custos Iusticiae', meaning guardian of justice. This inscription connects the monument to civic authority and how medieval cities displayed power over commerce and law.
The memorial stands freely accessible in Piazza Mercantile, surrounded by cafes and shops that make it easy to explore on foot. You can reach it directly from surrounding streets without entering any building or paying admission.
The stone lion at the column's base dates from the Roman period, originally carved between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD as part of an ancient tomb. This ancient stone was later repurposed and integrated into the medieval monument, bridging two separate historical eras.
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