Dante Alighieri, widely known simply as Dante, is one of the most famous writers in the world. His Divine Comedy, is considered one of the most important poems ever written and certainly one of the greatest works of Italian literature.
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Although mostly associated with Florence where he was born, Dante spent seven years in Verona whilst in exile, staying as a guest of the Scala family.
Dante ended up being exiled from Florence for complicated political reasons – if he’d returned he’d have to pay a fine or be burned at the stake – neither option was appealing.
Whilst in Verona, Dante had a great deal of creative freedom. He wrote the De Monarchia and a good chunk of Paradiso whilst here. He could study ancient texts in the Capitolare library and admire the Roman ruins. Dante also became acquainted with the prince of Verona, Cangrande, who appears in the 17th canto of the Divine Comedy.
You can find Dante, or at least his statue, in the Piazza dei Signori, now known as Piazza Dante. The statue was created by Ugo Zannoni from Carrara marble, and stands on a three-metre high pedestal. It was unveiled in 1865.
Verona isn’t the only place you’ll find a statue of Dante in this area. We also came across one in Mantua and in Trento, and there are of course ones further afield in Florence and Naples. Popular fella this Dante. If you’re in Verona, this is a lovely square to visit regardless of whether you’re interested in Dante, but it’s a fascinating literary addition to the room.
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What do you think? Have you visited this statue in Verona or any others in Italy? Let me know in the comments.
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