Giuseppe Mazzini Statue – Central Park, New York

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Located within the quiet eastern paths of Central Park, a solemn bronze bust rests on a stone pedestal,  the statue of Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian patriot, philosopher, and one of the intellectual leaders of the 19th-century movement for Italian unification. Though less familiar to many American visitors, Mazzini’s legacy as a champion of democracy and republicanism resonates far beyond Italy’s borders.

This bust was sculpted by Giovanni Turini and installed in 1878, making it one of the earliest commemorative statues in Central Park dedicated to an international figure. It was funded by the Italian-American community as a tribute to Mazzini’s ideals of liberty, justice, and national unity.

Giuseppe Mazzini Statue – Central Park, New York
Giuseppe Mazzini Statue – Central Park, New York


The sculpture is a bust portrait, rendered in bronze with a neoclassical simplicity. Mazzini is shown with a thin, angular face, a high forehead, and a carefully detailed beard and mustache, conveying both intellectual intensity and a quiet determination. His eyes are wide, set beneath finely arched brows, gazing forward with an expression that mixes calm with contemplation.

The chest is sculpted broad and strong, clothed in a modest, smooth drape that suggests the attire of a public thinker rather than a man of military might. The bust rests on a simple granite pedestal, elevating the figure just above eye level without overwhelming its surroundings. The base is inscribed with the sculptor’s name, “C. Turini / Sculptor / New York 1875.”

Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–1872) played a central role in the ideological foundations of the Italian Risorgimento, the movement that ultimately led to the unification of Italy. A fervent believer in republican ideals, he spent much of his life in exile, using his pen and voice to inspire uprisings and galvanize youth into political action. His ideas about nationalism, popular sovereignty, and international brotherhood influenced not only Italy but revolutionary movements around the world.

In placing his statue in Central Park, the Italian-American community celebrated not only a national hero but a global symbol of democratic struggle, a man whose fight for freedom and civic rights paralleled the ideals upon which the United States was built.

How to Reach

The Mazzini bust is located near East Drive at 67th Street, in the southeast quadrant of Central Park. The closest park entrance is at Fifth Avenue and 67th Street.

Location: Central Park, New York
Year Installed: 1878
Sculptor: Giovanni Turini
Material: Bronze bust on granite pedestal
Subject: Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–1872)

Happy travelling.


Other Monuments and Statues in New York

Location: Central Park, New York, NY, USA

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