THE VICTORIAN

The Victorian, Union and Freedom

The Victorian - History
The Victorian was built to represent and celebrate the history and the leading characters of the Renaissance in Italy.
First works started in 1885, but went on slowly because of the partial investments, bureaucratic problems and continuous changes to the initial project due to the instability of the foundations of Capitolino hill, that was passed through by many galleries. Expropriation and wreckings were made to give place to the new monument. The current Piazza Venezia was altered by the Piano Saccaroni of 1897, in order to give a larger view to the new Vittoriano group.
In 1905, the architect Sacconi, charged with the work, died. For this reason the new architects in charge with the project, Gaetano Koch, Manfredo Manfredini, Pio Piacentini, had many problems.
Initially the Vittoriano was conceived by Sacconi and it would have been built with travertine. Later the monument was created in botticino by his successors Mattina di Rezzato, because it could be better modelled, even if its colour didn’t stick to that of the city.
The building of the Victorian group ended in 1935, even if it was unveiled only in 1911.
From the date of the unveiling to that of the end of the works, many changes have been made.
The Altare della Patria (Altar of Peace) was built in 1921. It was conceived by the sculptor Angelo Zanelli. The statue of the goddess Roma was placed in 1925, while between 1924 and 1927 the Quadrigae of Union and Freedom, made by the sculptors Carlo Fontana and Paolo Bartolini, were placed on the propylaea.

The Victorian – Description
The central theme of the whole monument is represented by two inscriptions on the propylaea: Patriae Unitati Civium Libertati - To the Union of the county, To the freedom of the citizens.
Union and freedom are represented also by the two Quadrigae. The rests of an unknown corpse chosen among those of the dead of the First World War have been kept inside the Altare della patria. This is the symbol of the Unknown Soldier and it is decidated to the ones who died in war, who don’t have their own sepulchre.
Six groups of statues represent the allegory of the civil values of the Italian people. Central in the Victorian group are also the sixteen statues , which represent the sixteen Italian regions at the end of the 1800 and the fourteen statues, which represent the fourteen cities that, in the past, were the capital cities or the Marine Republics. A series of vegetable symbols sculptured in the Victorian group recalls different meanings: the palm (victory), the oak (strength) , the laurel (value, victorious peace), the myrtle (sacrifice), the olive (peace, concord).

The Victorian - How to arrive
The Victorian is in Piazza Venezia. You can easily reach it by bus (some are 60, H, 175) or by car, but keep in mind that it is very difficul to park there.

Things to see in the surroundings
Domus Aurea, Imperial Forums, la Basilica di Massenzio, the Roman Forum, il Circo Massimo.
 
Accommodations in the surroundings
Some advice to sleep in a central hotel next to Roma termini.

Restaurants in the surroundings
Here are some suggestions for a good dinner in a hosteria in Esquilino's zone

Pubs and entertainment in the surroundings
You could choice pubs next to the Colosseum for a pleasant and funny night.

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