| What makes it historical? |
From the 6th Century AD until the mid 1800s, the boot we know today as Italy was divided into different kingdoms. Among them was Sardinia and its king, Vittorio Emanuele II, who watched his father lose one war of independence and made sure the next two would go differently! After the second war of independence, he was crowned king of unified Italy in 1861, then kicked out the last Austrians and captured Rome, setting up the Eternal City as the capital in 1871!
The king died seven years later, and plans for a monument immediately went into effect. Designed by Giuseppe Sacconi, it immediately brought on controversy as several ancient Roman buildings were demolished to make way for it. Furthermore, it was a staging area for Mussolini’s Fascist rallies from the 1920s through the end of World War II. Today, it still hosts parades, but it’s more of a secular temple to Italy’s history and national identity, and resting place of the Unknown Soldier! |
