Christopher Columbus and his monument Columbia : $b being a concordance of choice tributes to the great Genoese, his grand discovery, and his greatness of mind and purpose
History
Christopher Columbus and his monument Columbia : $b being a concordance of choice tributes to the great Genoese, his grand discovery, and his greatness of mind and purpose
The Ligurian Gymnastic Society Cristofore Columbo is an association
which cultivates athletic exercises, music, and, above all, patriotism
and charity. To awaken popular interest in the coming exhibition, the
society had a bronze wreath made by the well-known sculptor Burlando,
and fitting ceremonies took place, with a procession through the
streets, before affixing the wreath at the base of the monument. The
wreath, which weighed some 500 pounds, was carried by a figure
representing Genoa seated on a triumphal car. There were 7,000 members
of the society present, with not less than fifty bands of music. The
ceremonies, beginning at 10 A. M., were concluded at 4 P. M. The last
act was a hymn, sung by 2,000 voices, with superb effect. Then, by means
of machinery, the bronze crown was put in its proper position. Never was
Genoa in a gayer humor, nor could the day have been more propitious. The
streets were decorated with flowers and banners. There were
representatives from Rome, Florence, Milan, Turin, Venice, Naples,
Leghorn, Palermo, and visitors from all parts of Europe and America. In
the evening only did the festivities close with a grand dinner given by
the Genoese municipality.
In this, the glorification of the grand old city of Liguria, was united
that of its most memorable man, Christopher Columbus, for that mediaeval
feeling, when cities had almost individual personalities, is still a
civic sense alive in Genoa. She rejoices in the illustrious men born
within her walls with a sentiment akin to that of a mother for her son.
In an artistic sense, nothing could have been more complete than this
festival. Throwing the eye upward, beyond the figure of Columbus, the
frame is perfect. The slanting ways leading up to the handsome houses on
the background are wonderfully effective.
Genoa is rich in the relics of Columbus. In the city hall of Genoa is,
among other relics, a mosaic portrait of the Admiral, somewhat modified
from the De Bry's Columbus. Genoa is fortunate in possessing a number of
authentic letters of Columbus, and these are preserved in a marble
custodia, surmounted by a head of Columbus. In the pillar which forms
the pedestal there is a bronze door, and the precious Columbus documents
have been placed there.
GERMANY AND COLUMBUS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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