In Milan, a bronze monument titled Costantino Imperatore stands on the forecourt of the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore. The monument gives its back to the basilica. It was cast in 1937 based on an ancient original from the 4th century, which is kept in the church of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome.
This statue is the second of Costantino to be present in Milan. The third and last in the country is located in front of the church of Santa Croce in the Acquabella district. The statue connects to the Cross of Christ, recalling the vision of the cross with the inscription "in hoc signo vinces" before the Battle of Ponte Milvio.
The monument remembers the Roman emperor who, in the year 313, issued the Edict of Milan while the capital of the Western Roman Empire was in the area. This decree granted freedom of worship to the people at a time when the empire was centered in the region.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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