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Giuseppe Verdi Monument

Coordinates: 40°46′45″N 73°58′54″W / 40.77917°N 73.98167°W / 40.77917; -73.98167
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Giuseppe Verdi Monument
Giuseppe Verdi Monument is located in Manhattan
Giuseppe Verdi Monument
Giuseppe Verdi Monument is located in New York City
Giuseppe Verdi Monument
Giuseppe Verdi Monument is located in New York
Giuseppe Verdi Monument
Giuseppe Verdi Monument is located in the United States
Giuseppe Verdi Monument
LocationVerdi Square, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates40°46′45″N 73°58′54″W / 40.77917°N 73.98167°W / 40.77917; -73.98167
Area2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built1906
ArchitectPasquale Civiletti
NRHP reference No.90002223[1]
Added to NRHPOctober 4, 1990

The Giuseppe Verdi Monument is a sculpture honoring composer Giuseppe Verdi in Verdi Square Park (between 72nd and 73rd Streets, Amsterdam Avenue, and Broadway) in Manhattan, New York City.[2] The statue was created by Italian sculptor Pasquale Civiletti [it].[3]

The monument measures 25.75 feet (7.85 m) tall and up to 18 feet (5.5 m) across.[4] The pedestal is made of dark granite steps, topped by a cylinder,[5] and measures 15 feet (4.6 m) tall.[3][6] Statues of four characters from Verdi's operas are on the pedestal: Aida, Otello, Leonora of La forza del destino, and Falstaff.[4][5][7] These statues respectively face north, east, south, and west.[8] The character statues are made of white Carrara marble, with large marble lyres placed between them. The western side of the pedestal contains an etching with Civiletti's name.[5] A time capsule is embedded in the Verdi monument's base.[9] The main statue of Verdi, placed atop the pedestal, is also made of white Carrara marble.[5]

The monument was dedicated on Columbus Day, October 12, 1906, by the Verdi Monument Committee chaired by Carlo Barsotti (1850–1927), an Italian–American who hoped to inspire young Italian Americans. He was the founding editor of the Il Progresso Italo-Americano Italian-American newspaper, and used its pages to raise funds for this and several other memorials including the Columbus Circle monument, an 1888 monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi in Washington Square Park, a monument to Giovanni da Verrazzano (1909) and the 1921 monument to Dante Alighieri in Dante Park.[2]

A permanent maintenance endowment for the monument has been established by Bertolli USA.[10] The monument is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Verdi Monument – Historical Sign". City of New York, Parks & Recreation. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
  3. ^ a b Shepard, Richard F. (1977-12-16). "Metropolitan Baedeker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  4. ^ a b "Giuseppe Verdi : NYC Parks". Verdi Square Monuments. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. 1939-06-26. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  5. ^ a b c d Verdi, Giuseppe, Monument (PDF) (Report). National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. October 4, 1990. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Verdi Square" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. January 28, 1975. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  7. ^ Anderson, Susan Heller (1987-10-10). "Toast to Verdi: Reclaiming a Tiny West Side Park". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  8. ^ McKinley, Jesse (1995-12-03). "F.Y.I." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  9. ^ Barron, James (2017-06-25). "The Time to Retrieve Time's Time Capsule Is at Hand". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  10. ^ "Verdi Square", City of New York, Parks & Recreation
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