Monday, May 27, 2013

Kinzica de' Sismondi

Whereupon, according to the legend, the Saracen Emir Moezz-Ibn-Badis, called Musa or Mugettus by the Italian chroniclers, left Sardinia, which he had conquered, and sailed up the Arno by night to attack Pisa in 1005. The houses on the left bank of the river were in flames and the inhabitants in full flight, when a woman of the Sismondi family named Chinzica rushed across the bridge to the palace of the Consuls and gave the alarm. A statue was erected to her when the burnt portion of the town was rebuilt and called after her.
(“The Story of Pisa” by Janet Ross and Nelly Erichsen, 1909)
Kinzica de' Sismondi, fragment of Roman sarcophagus, Casa Tizzoni, via San Martino, Pisa
The story is probably only a legend and the presumed statue of Kinzica, still visible outside Casa Tizzoni in Via San Martino, is almost certainly only a fragment of a 3rd-century Roman sarcophagus.
Kinzica de' Sismondi by Angelo Ciucci, piazza Guerrazzi, Pisa
A more modern statue, called “Chinzica” and representing the heroine of the legend, is the work of the sculptor Angelo Ciucci and was erected in 2005 in the middle of Piazza Guerrazzi.

External links: “The Story of Pisa” by Janet Ross and Nelly Erichsen (Archive.org)

(Why are we posting about Pisa? Click here for an answer)

9 comments:

Jack said...

The top statue is wonderful, but the modern statue on the bottom is terrific. Maybe you can negotiate for Pisa to send it to Livorno.

life in the tropics said...

This blog is wonderful, so glad I found it to be able to understand a bit some of my Livornesi friends. Have to agree with Jack, the top statue is very evocative, while the modern one is tacky.

Randy said...

I love the first statue.

VP said...

Jack - Hard not to agree with you...

cieldequimper said...

Thank goodness the Roman statue is still visible and yet how wonderful that there is a modern one too because it's delightful.

Dina said...

Nice that the legend lives on in the modern statue of the brave woman.
I can almost hear both of them saying "Oi veh! Oi veh!"

Unknown said...

Every town has its heroines. I love the old statue!

Birdman said...

What a frustrating link you add to the Pisa story. Yuk! Noise pollution.

Halcyon said...

I guess that lady is screaming out for someone to get her out of Pisa? ;)