site.btaRenovated Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi Officially Unveiled in Sofia

The renovated monument to Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi was unveiled at an official ceremony in Sofia after being restored and cleaned through the joint efforts of Sofia Municipality and the Italian Embassy, Sofia Municipality’s press office said on Monday. The ceremony was attended by Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev and Italian Ambassador to Bulgaria Marcello Apicella.

The cleaning and restoration of the monument is part of a series of measures to improve the urban environment and preserve cultural and historical heritage carried out by Sofia Municipality together with the Italian Embassy. The cleaning was carried out and funded by the Giuseppe Garibaldi Foundation.

“Caring for the urban environment is directly linked to how we preserve our history. Maintaining monuments and public spaces is part of our efforts to create a more orderly and dignified city,” said the Mayor of Sofia.

The monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi holds symbolic significance as part of European history and the ties between Bulgaria and Italy. Its restoration coincides with the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising and highlights the importance of memory and public responsibility toward shared spaces, the municipal administration further notes.

The concept for the monument and the reconstruction of the eponymous square in the capital was developed by sculptor Georgi Chapkanov and architect Stanislav Konstantinov, according to information in Sofia’s register of monuments. The monument was officially unveiled on June 13, 2010.