Equestrian monument dedicated to the Father of the Fatherland Simon Bolivar will be restored in Italy

Published at: 10/11/2024 03:13 PM

With the objective of joining forces for the revaluation of the equestrian monument dedicated to the Father of the Fatherland Simon Bolivar, created by the Italian teacher Pietro Canónica in 1934 and located in Rome, Italy, the head of the Venezuelan Diplomatic Mission in Italy, María Elena Uzzo, held a working meeting with the director of International Relations of the Roma Capital Mayor's Office Giacomo Orlandini for his restoration.

The meeting focused on the presentation of the project to revitalize Simon Bolivar Square and the equestrian monument, located in Valle Giulia, in the Villa Borghese park in Rome.

The initiative was presented by the head of mission, who also thanked the support provided by Zetema, an entity belonging to the Mayor's Office of Rome and responsible for cultural projects, when carrying out the diagnosis by a group of experts in restoration.

“This inspection resulted in a detailed report, which indicated the actions suggested by the specialists of the Capitoline Superintendence for Cultural Heritage to carry out the project for the recovery and enhancement of this patrimonial asset.”

In turn, the diplomatic representative presented the reason for this action, which adds to the concept of recovering two places of memory of Venezuela and the Bolivarian nations for the eternal city: The Oath Memorial in Monte Sacro and the equestrian sculpture that immortalize the visit of the young Simon Bolivar to Rome in 1805, when he took his prophetic oath on August 15. This information is important because the origin of the equestrian monument, sculpted by Master Canonica, was a donation from the nations that liberated Bolívar to the city of Rome in 1934, and that later, in 1959, was transferred to the place where it is currently located”.

For his part, the counselor of the Embassy, Edgar Ernesto González, stressed that this work can be conceived as a “comprehensive project”, where it is not only about the restoration of the sculpture and its base, but it focuses on the recovery and revitalization of the entire square, including the pruning and relocation of shrubs that prevent us from seeing the entire base of the monument, with the intention of maintaining the original design made by its author.

Likewise, the lack of lighting in the monument and the surrounding area was highlighted, as well as the cleanliness of the steps that lead to the top, where the sculpture is located, seen as a philological project, the closest thing to what was proposed by the sculptor.

Director Giacomo Orlandini thanked the explanation and indicated the next steps to advance the actions required to carry out the project with each area of the Mayor's Office of Rome.

The working day showed, among other issues, the commitment to collaborate from their responsibilities in the recovery and enhancement of the equestrian monument by 2025, as part of the celebration of the 220th anniversary of the Oath to Monte Sacro. It culminated in concrete agreements and the relevant offices will be sent to the Mayor's Office of Rome, which will coordinate with the different areas that will carry out the visits to present the actions to be carried out.

The technical meeting was also attended by entities that are part of the maintenance and custody of public spaces, including: Environmental Protection and Green Zones, AMA ROMA S.p.a., responsible for cleaning the city, as well as Areti, the body responsible for lighting public spaces.

Mazo News Team