King Vittorio Emanuele II - Tarquinia, Lazio, Italy
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 15.265 E 011° 45.510
32T E 727548 N 4681709
A bust honoring the first king of a unified Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, is located on the facade of the Palazzo Comunale at Piazza G. Matteotti, 7, Tarquinia, Italy
Waymark Code: WMV6Y0
Location: Lazio, Italy
Date Posted: 03/06/2017
Views: 0
A life size marble bust of King Vittorio Emanuele depicts the first King of Italy from the mid-chest up. King Vittorio Emanuele has a handlebar mustache and a long goatee beard, He is wearing a military dress uniform with a fur trimmed coat, a sash across his chest and a medal around his neck. The bust rest on a pedestal featuring a banner, scroll, and a scalloped semicircle below. A large wreath with a five pointed star at the top begins at the pedestal and encircles the King.
A marble plaque below the statue is inscribed:
A VITTORIO EMANUELE II
PADRE DELLA PATRIA
IL MUNICIPIO
DE CORNETO - TARQUINIA
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XIX LUGLIO MDCCCLXXXV
TO VITTORIO EMANUELE II
FATHER OF THE COUNTRY
THE CITY
OF CORNETO - TARQUINIA
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19 JULY 1885
Vittorio Emanuele was born on March 14, 1820 to Charles Albert, Prince of Carignano, and Maria Theresa of Austria. As heir to the throne of Sardinia he took an active part in the First Italian War of Independence (1848-1849). He fought at the battles of Pastrengo, Santa Lucia, Goito and Custoza. When his father abdicated the throne in 1849, he became King of Sardinia-Piedmont. Victor Emmanuel II became a leader of the movement for the unification of Italy.
After the defeat of the Papal army, King Victor Emmanuel II drove Pope Pius IX into Vatican City. At about the same time Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Sicily and Naples for the unification movement. March 17, 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was officially established and Victor Emmanuel II became its first king.
King Vittorio Emanuele II died on January 9, 1878 at age 57. He is buried in the Pantheon in Rome.