“The King on the Roofs” they called it, you see. This grand statue of Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of a united Italy, has towered over Torino for over a century. He stands tall on a pedestal with four Doric columns that support him like a proud king on his throne. Below his feet, four figures represent the four pillars of Italy: Unity, Fraternity, Work, and Liberty. From the ground, he seems to look down on the city below, a watchful guardian over the people and their dreams.
The monument was a gift to the city of Turin by the King’s son, King Umberto I. It was a way to honor his father’s role in unifying the country and to remind Torino, the original capital of a unified Italy, of their legacy. It was a long and challenging project. It took almost twenty years to complete, fraught with disagreements and tensions between the artist, Pietro Costa, and the city council.
But finally, in 1899, the monument was inaugurated with a grand ceremony, a grand celebration for the city of Turin. The King himself was there to watch it. But despite the pomp and ceremony, the story says, that the artist, Pietro Costa, was not happy with the result.
Standing here today, you can almost feel the weight of history woven into the very fabric of this statue. It is more than just marble and bronze; it is the tangible embodiment of a nation’s aspirations, a testament to a monumental feat of unification and a powerful symbol of Italy’s rich history. From its beginnings as a symbol of a divided country to its ultimate manifestation of unity, this statue has witnessed the heartbreaks and victories of Italy’s journey. So let us take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this grand monument and imagine the stories it whispers about a unified Italy.