Roma's Talking Statues: Pasquino Silenced, Constantine's Colossus Debated

The reconstructed Colossus of Constantine, a 13-meter-tall statue, has been installed on Rome's Capitoline Hill after its debut at Fondazione Prada's "Recycling Beauty" exhibition in Milan (November 2022–February 2023). The reception has been mixed, with critics comparing the reconstruction amid ancient monuments to Disneyland or Cinecittà. The statue is temporary and will be moved after the 2025 Jubilee year, possibly to the Museo della Civiltà Romana, which has been closed for years. Meanwhile, Rome's tradition of "talking statues" is in decline. Pasquino, the most famous, has been effectively silenced since a 2009–2010 restoration removed the base where satirical poems were posted, replaced briefly by a plexiglass surrogate. The application of "tutela" (protection) conflated with "decoro" (decorum) has ended a centuries-old satirical tradition. Other statues like Madama Lucrezia and Abate Luigi are neglected. Positive developments include the use of Villa Caffarelli spaces for exhibitions (currently hosting a show on Phidias), reducing temporary installations in the historic Palazzo dei Conservatori. The Museo della Forma Urbis has opened on the Celio Hill, inside the former GIL gymnasium, alongside the Parco Archeologico del Celio, where ancient stone fragments are displayed. The Casina del Salvi, a 1830s building, may soon become a coffee house, signaling a shift away from punitive site visits.