The Talking Statues

Have you ever heard of The Talking Statues in Rome?

I know it seems absurd to think that a statue could talk, but back in the day, when technology was not yet even a fantasy, people really did use statues to communicate. All people, regardless their position or rank, could leave notes to be read by all the passers-by. It was, so to speak, a public online blog of its time.

The best known is definitely Pasquino, the statue that expressed people’s sorrows and thoughts becoming their spokesman. This statue is found in Piazza del Pasquino, near Piazza Navona.  It mainly talked about politics and politicians, in a typical roman style. It used strong irony, but was never too mean. It talked about everyone, even the pontiff.

There is also the talking statue in Via Lata, Il Facchino, which is quite fascinating though sad. Even though it nowadays shows the marks of time, it has served well for centuries.

Another talking statue is the Abbot Luigi, not very respected. It was often defaced and damaged. Its name comes from the statue’s resemblance to a nearby church. Same thing if we talk about Il Babuino, a weird statue representing silence, whose name comes from its similarity to the baboon.

There are two other talking statues. One, Marphurius, is found near Palazzo Nuovo. And the other, Madama Lucrezia, is found in Piazza San Marco. If you see them, listen carefully. They might tell you something too.