Monument to Siro Andrea Carli

The monument was created by the local sculptor Filippo Ghersi, who as early as 1867 had the idea of creating a statue or bust of Siro Andrea Carli to be placed above a fountain, but the Municipality did not accept the proposal immediately, asking to see the sketch.

After more than twenty years, Ghersi, a pupil of Salvatore Revelli in Rome and an undisputed protagonist of Sanremo's figurative life since 1860, created a marble statue of Mayor Carli characterised by an explicit recourse to classicist models typical of the first half of the 19th century, which are however softened by a touch inspired by a genuine interpretation of 'social realism'.

At the end of 1889, Carli's statue was placed on a plinth under a wing of the former monastery of the Turchine and then officially inaugurated on 5 January 1890.

However, it was not until the last century that the monument was placed on top of one of the fountains Carli himself wanted in what is now Piazza Eroi Sanremesi, in accordance with the author's request and the technical opinion of engineer Giacomo Picconi.

On the pedestal of the monument the following inscription is engraved:
«Siro Andrea Carli / 1797 - 1857 / Mayor of Sanremo / Member of Parliament / philosopher, doctor, man of letters / distinguished benefactor / promoted studies / opened roads and avenues / donated riches of water / cooperated to the public good / with generosity of spirit».

(source taken from the book "Sanremo Guida al patrimonio artistico e monumentale della città";  images from the web and private archives)