Monument to Cola di Rienzo, Bronze statue near Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy

The Monument to Cola di Rienzo is a bronze statue of the hooded tribune with his arm raised as if addressing a crowd, set on a base of brick covered with marble reliefs partly taken from the nearby Aracoeli steps. It stands on a grassy plot between the cordonata leading up to Piazza del Campidoglio and the staircase to Santa Maria in Aracoeli, facing the base of the Capitoline ramp.

The statue was created in 1871 by sculptor Girolamo Masini to honor a 14th-century political leader who established a people-centered government in the mid-1300s. It marks a turning point in Rome's political history and efforts to reclaim power from clergy authority.

The statue stands on a grassy island between the Aracoeli stairway and the Cordonata, set on an incline with no direct access; sources note this was deliberate, to prevent crowds from gathering there or the spot becoming a new site for pasquinades. The base carries the inscription "Cola de Rienzi".

The monument is accessible by multiple public transit options including bus lines 30, 51, and 81, tram line 8, and the Colosseo metro station. Best access is from the upper level of Piazza del Campidoglio where the Capitoline buildings stand.

The statue stands on a grassy incline with no direct access, a deliberate choice to prevent crowds from gathering there or turning the spot into a new site for pasquinades. Its base is a mosaic of brick and marble rubble reliefs, some taken from the nearby Ara Coeli steps.