The bronze statue of Cosimo I in Knights' Square

Located in the middle of Knights' Square in Pisa, just in front of Palazzo della Carovana, stands the bronze statue of Cosimo I de' Medici. The work of the sculptor Pietro Francavilla, the statue was commissioned by Grand Duke Ferdinando I in 1596. It stands as a civic symbol of the hegemony of Florence, celebrating the Grand Duke as the first Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen.

The statue depicts Grand Duke Cosimo I in the robes of Grand Master, standing on a high pedestal in the act of subduing a dolphin, which serves as a symbol of his domination over the seas. The sculpture follows the elegant Late Mannerist tradition.

In front of the pedestal sits a fountain, also erected by Francavilla. The fountain features a basin in the form of a shell decorated with two grotesque monsters.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons