It would take many lifetimes to see all the traces of history in Rome: by the time you finished, even more would have been written. And while you can visit the greatest treasures of the Eternal City in its great museums or its most iconic monuments, there are subtle nods to centuries of civilization on every corner. One such example of history hiding in plain sight are Rome’s “Talking Statues,” which dot the historic center and tell a story of Renaissance life in the capital. Whether this is your first visit or you’re a Rome regular, finding these chatty figures will give you a whole new appreciation for the city.
What are the Talking Statues?
Contrary to what the name might suggest, these six sculptures aren’t equipped with voice boxes, and they won’t yell at you for not wearing a scarf (leave it to Roman grandmothers to do that). Instead, the statue parlanti are six figures that were installed around Rome during the Renaissance that became sites where local people could anonymously express political discontent by writing on their surfaces. The messages could be as simple as disagreeing with current policy at the time or they could be much more elaborate, coded messages that warring factions of the city or the Vatican were sending each other under cover of darkness. Think of them as the message boards of the day for 14th and 15th century Romans, or maybe even the first true form of social media.
The Pasquino statue in Piazza di Pasquino.
Until the 16th century, these four statues and two foundations that became known as the Congresso degli arguti, or the Congress of the Witty, were important points of political and social reference for a city undergoing radical change. The Vatican was becoming the seat of enormous power and Rome, which had been all but abandoned after the fall of the Roman Empire, was re-emerging from the Dark Ages. Even today, the talking statues maintain their role as a place where citizens can leave their opinions (mostly in flyer form) and make their voices heard. The Talking Statues continue to speak for generations of Italians and are well worth listening to for a slice of everyday Rome.
Where can you find the Talking Statues?
You don’t need to make a special trip to find the Talking Statues of Rome: indeed, most of them are on the streets in some of the most well trod sections of the city and a few are right underneath your nose. Make it into an easy walking tour or just keep your eye out for them while you shop or are out sightseeing!
Enjoy a charming stay in Rome at the Pasquino.
Pasquino
Perhaps the most famous of the Talking Statues is Pasquino, found in the Piazza that shares its name just a short walk from Piazza Navona. In residence since 1501, Pasquino has held the punchline for a great many of the jokes or comments left on all the statues, so much so that the comments themselves are known as “pasquinades”. If you’re lucky enough to stay right on the Piazza, which you can do at the Pasquino apartment, you might just catch modern activists tacking their latest pasquinades onto the statue in the wee hours, keeping a beloved Roman tradition alive.
The Abate Luigi statue in Rome. (credit)
Abate Luigi
Not far from the Area Sacra Torre Argentina, where Caesar was killed and cats now roam in a state of the art sanctuary, the Abate Luigi statue is the only one that tells us something about the subject. The inscription reads, “I was a citizen of ancient Rome, now everyone calls me abbot Luigi, with Pasquino and Marforio I gained fame for urban satire. I suffered offenses, disgraces and got buried, but here I found a new, safe life.”
The Marforio statue at the Musei Capitolini (credit)
Marforio
The bearded, half reclining Marforio statue is the only one you’ll have to make a beeline for, as it’s found up the Capitoline hill in the Piazza del Campidoglio. The ancient Roman statue is one of the most “talkative” of the group, and very often throughout history jokes would be written here and answered on other statues.
Rome’s Madama Lucrezia talking statue. (credit)
Madama Lucrezia
A 3-meter high colossal Roman bust seated on a plinth would be hard to miss anywhere, but the statue of Madama Lucrezia is in one of the most famous spots in all Rome, so you’d be forgiven if you hadn’t noticed. Situated in a piazza between the iconic Piazza Venezia and the Basilica di San Marco, the only female depiction in the group is thought to represent the Egyptian goddess Isis and was named for Lucrezia d’Alagno, the lover of the King of Naples, who moved to Rome after his death in 1458.
The Fontana del Facchino talking statue. (credit)
Fontana del Facchino
Via del Corso is one of Rome’s most important arteries, for a number of reasons: it’s a commercial hub that runs through the historic center, and its the location of some of the city’s most vital political buildings. With all that action you might miss the humble Fontana del Facchino tucked away on via Lata, which depicts a water bearer and his barrel. But this fountain was the center of action in Renaissance Rome, and some say it was even sculpted by Michelangelo.
The Fontana del Babbuino in Rome. (credit)
Fontana del Babuino
If you’re near the Spanish Steps, coming from the Villa Borghese, or finishing a tasty meal at the Canova Tadolini, you’ll be right near the Fontana del Babuino, which sits on the corner of Via del Babuino and Via del Greci. Built in approximately 1576 by a wealthy merchant who intended for it to be used by the public, the statue on the fountain was considered so ugly by Romans that they named in babuino, or “baboon,” and like all terrible nicknames, it stuck. So much so that the Via del Babuino, one of Rome’s most well known shopping streets, is named for it.
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