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Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II

The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II is a statuary monument in Turin, located in the Largo of the same name at the junction of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Corso Galileo Ferraris. Dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy, it was commissioned by his son, King Umberto I, and paid for at his own expense. Designed by architect Pietro Costa, the bronze and granite monument was erected between 1882 and 1899. It was inaugurated on September 9, 1899, twenty years after the king’s death. Rising to 39 meters, the monument features the king’s statue on tall Doric columns, with sculptural groups representing unity, brotherhood, work, and freedom.

Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II with a bronze statue atop a fluted column and sculpted figures at the base.
The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II in Turin rises on a tall column with a bronze statue and ornate sculpted base.
March 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II with a bronze statue on a columned pedestal and sculptural figures at the base.
The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II in Turin, showing the bronze statue atop its columned pedestal.
March 2007 © Franco56 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II seen from below, with a statue atop an ornate column against a blue sky.
The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II rises above bare tree branches on a clear day.
December 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II topped by a statue on a tall column, with trees and a flower bed around the base.
The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II rises above a circular flower bed in a tree-lined setting.
September 2008 © Georgius LXXXIX · Public domain
Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II showing a marble statue of a man in military uniform holding a sword and a document above an inscribed pedestal.
The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, with a full-body marble statue in a decorative alcove and an inscribed pedestal below.
May 2024 © · CC0

Identification

TitleMonument to Vittorio Emanuele II
Typestatuary monument atop a set of columns

Historical context

Inauguration celebrationsMajor festivities; Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via Roma were illuminated for the celebration
Inaugurated on occasion ofthe twentieth anniversary of the king's death
Dedicated toVittorio Emanuele II, the first King of Italy

Creator

ArchitectPietro Costa

Discovery and provenance

Commissioned byKing Umberto I, son of Vittorio Emanuele II
Paid for byKing Umberto I at his own expense
Construction period1882–1899
Construction notesBuilt through many contracts with the Turin municipal government; described as having many difficulties, conflicts, and controversies with the municipality of Turin
Inauguration date9 September 1899

Physical characteristics

Materialbronze and granite
Height39 meters

Appearance

Main statue positionRises on tall Doric columns
Base sculptural groupsUnity, Brotherhood, Work, and Freedom
OrientationFaces west, toward France

Iconography and meaning

Depicted figureKing Vittorio Emanuele II

Significance

Popular nicknamesthe King on the Roofs; Barba Vigiu