Garibaldi

Giuseppe Garibaldi is watching over his namesake square, where the statue was placed in 1889. It is the work of Augusto Rivalta, the same sculptor of the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II .Garibaldi, a military leader, is a key figure in the Unification of Italy. He is still called the “Eroe dei due Mondi” (Hero of the Two Worlds) for his military expeditions both in South America and Europe. In July 1861 he was even offered a command as major general in the Union Army.
A plaque on a building in “Viale Caprera” remind us that Garibaldi spent a night here, in the house of the friend and Garibaldine officer Andrea Sgarallino. Even the street name is a tribute to Garibaldi, who bought the island of Caprera in 1855 and died there in 1882. A nearby square is named after Anita Garibaldi, his Brazilian wife and long-time comrade-in-arms.

In this house
Giuseppe Garibaldi
was a guest of Andrea Sgarallino
refugee from the blockaded Caprera
unshaken
in the pledge to restore Rome to Italy
forgetful of Aspromonte
with no foresight of Mentana
was here the night of 19 October 1867

The Livornesi of the Venice quarter - 1889

(This plaque recovered from the rubble of the building destroyed by an act of war was placed again on the rebuilt building by the Municipal Administration on 5 July 1957)

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Sun, Moon and Starfish

After some vintage marine monsters, let's have a look at the funny “winter collection” outside “Federica's Corner”, a shop we have already seen last spring, usually the final stop of my Sunday walks. This butterfly is clearly flying too close to the sun.Owl and son are striking a pose over a moon flirting with the sun.A sea star touches the “universo” (universe) just near the Virgo...

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Sea Monsters

The monument to Ferdinando I and the Four Moors was finished in 1626 and had to be completed with two fountains representing sea monsters, modeled by the same sculptor of the moors, Pietro Tacca from Carrara, a disciple of Giambologna. Legend says that the Grand Duke Ferdinando II liked so much the two bronze fountains that he wanted them in “Piazza Santissima Annunziata”, in Florence. So the beautiful fountains ended up near another monument to Ferdinando I, by the same Pietro Tacca, already in the square since 1608. In the 1950s Giorgio La Pira, mayor of Florence, had a copy of one the fountains cast as a present for the city of Livorno. A few years later, Livorno paid for another copy. At last, in the 1960s, the fountains were placed in Piazza Colonnella, not far from the intended location near the Four Moors.One of the Florentine fountains, in background the “Ospedale degli Innocenti” (Foundling Hospital), by Filippo Brunelleschi.One of the copies in Livorno, no Brunelleschi in background...The other Florentine fountain, in background the “Basilica della Santissima Annunziata” (Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation).
The other copy with a genuine “Livornese” background...

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Harbor Cats

When I walk inside the port I am looking for ships, but this time cats were more interesting. This black cat was sitting on an old boat in a yard, behind... a grapevine.Some steps higher, on the same boat, we have another guardian.The last one seemed more happy and relaxed on some gravel.

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Ponte del Luogo Pio

We have already seen the church of the “Luogo Pio” (Pious Place), which is the last part left standing of an old orphanage. This bridge was left in place when the canal was interred in 1898 and became, for almost a century, not more than a hump on the street.When the first part of the canal was dug again few years ago, the hump regained its status of a bridge, even if still closed by a gate.This body of water is now a dead end, until the reddigging of the old canal will be completed. This is the last of the New Venice bridges, until the next reconstruction of the “Ponte di Crocetta”.

See also: Ponte di Marmo - Ponte dei Domenicani - Ponte della Venezia - Ponte di San Giovanni - Ponte dell'Angiolo

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More Seasons

About the four seasons, we have already seen four busts on the facade of the “Palace of the Marble Columns” and another full figure set giving its name to a kindergarten in “Corso Amedeo”.It's easy to find the third set because it is on the restored facade of an old apartament building, still in “Corso Amedeo” and just in front of the kindergarten. This time all the four seasons are ladies.

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Cultural Signs

“Circolo Culturale” is Cultural Circle, “Via Michon” is the name of the club, taken from the street, the sign is... at least a bit strange!This is literally a Group for Figurative Arts, Ceramic and Sculpture which do not advertise itself very skillfully.Last but not least, my favorite among these strange signs: the fake scroll of the philosophical “Schopenhauer Cafè”.

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