The Statues of Malcesine

Malcesine is an ancient Mediaeval town where art, culture and tourism are all interconnected, leading to some interesting cultural and artistic initiatives.

Over the years, many artists have contributed to exhibitions which have made a mark on the streets of our town.
They are scattered across Malcesine and offer something for everyone.

As you wander through the old streets of the town, you can spot a number of statues and monuments along the way. Or make a note of where to find them and seek them out. Here are some of our suggestions.

Where to find the statues in Malcesine?

• In Piazza Porto Vecchio there are two bronze statues of the “Donna Tartaruga” by Novello Finotti, a contemporary sculptor born in 1936 and recognised around the world. Just a few metres away is a work by Victor Ochoa, a Spanish artist, entitled “El Zulo”.
• In Piazza Pallone you can find a modern bronze sculpture entitled “Conflittualità” by an artist from the nearby town of Rovereto called Osvaldo Bruschetti.
• In Cassone, to the south of Malcesine, you can find “La Bagnante”, a bronze statue from 1987 by Spanish sculptor Luisa Granero who, in 2004, staged an exhibition in Malcesine entitled “The Mediterranean Woman” in Castello Scaligero.
• Outside Castello Scaligero you can see the bust of Goethe, produced by a German artist named Johann Gottfried Schadow.
• In one of Malcesine’s main squares, Piazza Statuto, you can find the Monument to the Fallen by Verona-based architect Ettore Fagiuoli. It takes the form of a classic temple, with two central columns, four pillars and three epigraphs. Another war memorial by Fagiuoli can be seen in Piazzetta Felice Nensi.
• The “Madonna dell’Accoglienza” statue can be reached by taking hiking trail 2 from Malcesine which climbs around 250 m up a hill to a hamlet called Rocchetta, offering an unrivalled view over Malcesine and Lake Garda.

The statues of Malcesine, whether old or new, are an important part of the town’s heritage, to be protected and promoted, representing its history and culture. These works of art which decorate the town’s streets and squares, combined with the cultural and artistic events and initiatives held each year, demonstrate the importance of the arts in Malcesine.