A martyr of free thought: Monumento ad Arnaldo da Brescia

The Monumento ad Arnaldo da Brescia is a bronze monument, modeled by the sculptors Odoardo Tabacchi and Antonio Tagliaferri. It was inaugurated in 1882 and is located at the eastern end of Piazzale Arnaldo in Brescia. The monument is dedicated to Arnaldo da Brescia, a friar who lived in the 12th century and spoke out against the corruption of the clergy, advocating for poverty. In 1155, he was captured and later executed.

The municipal administration, with a liberal administration, decided to memorialise Arnaldo da Brescia, seeing him as a champion of civil and moral engagement in a secular and libertarian context. In 1865, the Consiglio Comunale voted for the funding of the monument and appointed a Commission to oversee the project. Four bas-reliefs depicting scenes from his life adorn the base of the monument. The monument is in the neo-Romanic style.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons