Monumento a Giordano Bruno

The Sovrintendenza's account of how it got there: two international university committees, in 1876 and 1884, raised the money; the Comune di Roma raised no objection to the site in 1877 and gave a modest contribution; by 1887, with a clerical majority on the Campidoglio, the siting had become a political battle for liberal and anticlerical opinion. Ferrari's first version of 1879, showing Bruno defiant before the Inquisition, was rejected; the version built was the 1887 proposal, the philosopher drawn into himself with his hands crossed on his book.