A WOMAN IN PADUA PARK OF FAME?

Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia is still stirring up controversy after three hundred and fifty years. Elena graduated in Philosophy at the University of Padua in 1678 – the first woman in Italy to graduate.

A monument to her stands in a corner of the university courtyard, donated by the sculptress Caterina Dolfin in 1773. Now, however, a group of citizens are arguing that she should take her rightful place among the illustrious men in the show-place city park of Prata della Valle. The park has 78 statues of illustrious local figures – all of them men, apart from a modest bust of the Renaissance poetess Gaspara Stampa. The proposal, however, has not received unanimous approval and the question still hangs fire.

Recently, Milan set the lead in breaking the male monopoly of commemorative statues, with the inauguration of the new monument to Risorgimento heroine Cristina Trivulzio di Belgiojoso which now stands in a prominent position in front of Palazzo Belgiojoso near the Duomo and La Scala.

A recent census of commemorative monuments dedicated to women in Italy came up with a modest total of 171 in the entire country.

Info: Tel. Mi Riconosci +39.3492733464 ufficiostampa@miriconosci.it