Brescia celebrates the Winged Victory: 200 years since the masterpiece was found

Brescia. At 7:00 p.m. sharp, the same hour when two centuries ago it emerged from the ground, the Winged Victory once again took center stage at the place of its discovery.
In the heart of the Brixia Archaeological Park, Brescia celebrated the bicentenary of the discovery of the famous Roman bronze with an official ceremony that brought together institutions, representatives of the cultural world and the protagonists of the city’s heritage promotion.
The event closed the Festa della Vittoria di Brescia, a program of initiatives organised to mark 200 years since the discovery in 1826 during excavations promoted by the Ateneo of Brescia. The anniversary put back in the national and international spotlight one of the most important masterpieces of Roman archaeology and one of the symbols of the city’s identity.
The evening opened with the Coro Marenzio of the Brescia Conservatory, directed by Maestro Silvio Baracco, performing Il canto degli Italiani and the Ode to Joy. The ceremony was introduced and moderated by the director of Fondazione Brescia Musei, Stefano Karadjov.
Institutional speeches included those of Francesca Bazoli, president of Fondazione Brescia Musei; Giancarlo Provasi, vice president of the Ateneo of Brescia; former mayors Paolo Corsini, Adriano Paroli and Emilio Del Bono; Claudio Ricci, vice president of the Italian National UNESCO Commission; regional councillor Simona Tironi; Brescia’s mayor Laura Castelletti; and the Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli.