Garibaldi red in the streets of Barga

  On Sunday 26th August during a rally in Venice, the leader of the Lega Nord, Umberto Bossi declared that having Rome as the capital of Italy was an error made by Savoia and Garibaldi. He went on to call Giuseppe Garibaldi a cretin. Almost two months after this event, here in Barga came the reply to Bossi's accusations with a Garibaldi festa which filled the city with children, a 30 metre flag paraded through the streets and of course music and speeches  Continue reading ‘Garibaldi red in the streets of Barga’

Paolo Rossi plays Garibaldi at Evocava

  Statues, like the human beings they glorify, are prey to a life cycle. They have their moment in the sun, presiding over city squares and gardens, until their subjects fade from public memory or are summarily tossed into the ash heap of political history. 

This was the subject of Monumenti Generali, the latest theatrical work to be staged in the imposing Barghetti marble quarry at Seravezza by the Evocava production company. Continue reading ‘Paolo Rossi plays Garibaldi at Evocava’

Giovanni Pascoli Benevolent Society of Chicago

Festa in Barga today to celebrate the 50 years since the opening of the retirement home Villa Pascoli now housing 70 residents and providing work for 50 local people. Continue reading ‘Giovanni Pascoli Benevolent Society of Chicago’

Flowers for Guiseppe Garibaldi

Flowers were laid this morning on the statue for Garibaldi in Piazza Garibaldi in Barga Vecchia to commemorate 200 years of his birth.
The statue was one of the first erected in Italy to Guiseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) The foremost military figure and popular hero of the age of Italian unification known as the Risorgimento with Cavour and Mazzini he is deemed one of the makers of Modern Italy.

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Giuseppe Garibaldi e pane per i poveri - Pier Giuliano Cecchi

Caro editor, in questi mesi del 2007, leggendo su giornali e riviste i vari ricordi dell’ “Eroe dei due Mondi” Giuseppe Garibaldi mi è capitata un articolo molto particolare che mi ha fatto riflettere e sospinto a quanto segue. Si tratta della sua iniziazione alla “Giovine Italia” di Mazzini, che avvenne circa nel 1833 a 25 anni, quando giovane marinaio si trovò a discutere con dei “sansimonisti” (divulgatori di una nuova società) , che gli parlarono appunto di Mazzini, di un’Italia libera, repubblicana e così dicendo. Bisogna premettere che nelle biografie di Garibaldi gli anni giovanili sono poco chiari nei passi fondamentali e a volte i dati sono un poco contraversi tra loro. Comunque pare che qualche tempo dopo quel folgorante incontro, Garibaldi a Genova si trovasse di fronte allo stesso Mazzini e che qui si compisse l’atto di affiliazione alla società segreta, assumendo il nome di “Pane” anche per scongiurare, specialmente, la fame. Continue reading ‘Giuseppe Garibaldi e pane per i poveri - Pier Giuliano Cecchi’

Festa della Repubblica

Today is a national holiday in Italy - The Festa della Repubblica. A celebration of Italy becoming a republic on the 2nd June 1946. In Barga it was celebrated this morning with the Barga Band playing in the streets and a procession with the Alpini who laid a wreath at the statue of Garibaldi in Piazza Garibaldi and another at the Monument to the Lost on Fosso.

A service then followed at the Chiesina delle Palmente just outside Barga

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Twinning with East Lothian Scotland

Barga is full of sound and colour this morning as the ceremonies started for the twinning between Barga and East Lothian Scotland.
Ore 11,00 Barga,Sala Consiliare di Palazzo Pancrazi
Cerimonia di gemellaggio Barga - East Lothian (Scozia)

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La Valle del Serchio con Garibaldi

Barga Vecchia was today full of people, movement, music, flags and banners for the grand opening of the new Museo dell Memoria in Piazza Garibaldi with the first exhibition in Tuscany dedicated to the birth and life of the hero of the Risorgimento, Giuseppe Garibaldi two hundred years ago. The new museum has been built on the site of a palazzo hit by artillery during the last world war and left as a rubble for 60 years. Continue reading ‘La Valle del Serchio con Garibaldi’

Last minute preparations for Garibaldi

Saturday 31st March is the grand opening of the new Museo dell Memoria in Piazza Garibaldi with the first exhibition there dedicated to celebrations for the birth of Giuseppe Garibaldi two hundred years ago. The new museum has been built on the site of a palazzo hit by artillery during the last world war and left as a rubble for 60 years. A new complex has been built comprising museum, gardens and viewing terraces.

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