Monument to Bella Italia
Monument to Bella ItaliaP.za della Loggia, 25122 Brescia BS
The Risorgimento carved in marble. In Piazza della Loggia, memory takes shape. In Brescia, history looks you in the eye.
THE MEMORY OF THE TEN DAYS
The Monument to Bella Italia, also known as the Monument to the Fallen of the Ten Days, is located in the north-eastern part of Piazza della Loggia. It was created in 1864 by sculptor Giovanni Battista Lombardi and donated to the city by Vittorio Emanuele II.
The work commemorates those who fell during the 1849 uprising against Austrian rule: ten days that earned Brescia the title of Lioness of Italy. It is a powerful civic symbol, representing the courage and identity of the city at the heart of the Risorgimento.
THE WORK AND ITS MEANING
The monument is made of Botticino and statuary marble and rests on a square base with three steps. On the sides of the base are bas-reliefs depicting the salient moments of the uprising: the revolt, the fighting, the shooting of prisoners and the funerals of the fallen.
At the top stands a female figure personifying Italy, with a banner and laurel wreath, symbols of freedom and unity.
It is not just a statue. It is an important monument commemorating the history of the city.