Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Colombo's Finger

The little finger of Cristoforo Colombo, located in the Piazza Castello, a short walk from the Royal Library and the Turin Royal Palace.


Here, under the porticoes of the Prefecture, a bronze medallion in high relief depicting the most famous navigator and explorer of all time has the characteristic of having his little finger in particular shining. In the background a world map and a caravel, in memory of his achievement: the discovery of America.The relief was created by the famous artist Dino Somà and inaugurated in 1923, the work is much loved by the Turin. Legend has it that rubbing the little finger of Cristoforo Colombo's hand brings a lot of luck. This gesture has now become a true tradition of the city of Turin, and for this reason the finger of the statue appears much brighter than the rest of the art piece. Especially for all the university students who hope for help to pass the examinations with the highest-grade rely on the Columbus statue.Because of this tradition, with the passing of time, the little finger fades so much to the point of having to be replaced.

1 comment:

William Kendall said...

The same happens here with certain statues, I've found. Some part of their anatomy, such as the knee of one of our Prime Ministers, Lester Pearson, is brighter than the rest.