Rome: The Dioscuri, the Ancient Roman statues of demigods Castor and Pollux that have welcomed visitors to Rome’s Campidoglio since the 16th century, were unveiled in all their former glory Friday after a 240-day restoration for the Roman Catholic Jubilee Holy Year. Saluting the return of the sons of Jupiter and Leda, Capitoline superintendent Claudio Parisi Presicce noted their symbolism as a representation of fraternal harmony.
According to Ansa News Agency, the restoration aligns with the Jubilee year theme, as highlighted by Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri. Gualtieri remarked on the challenging yet swift intervention that not only restored the statues but also set the stage for future restorations of the square’s facades. He expressed that the Dioscuri are now well-prepared to welcome visitors climbing the cordonata steps from Piazza Venezia.
The statues’ history is as captivating as their appearance, dating back to the middle of the 2nd century during the Antonine age. They are linked to the succession of Hadrian and Lucius Verus to Antoninus Pius. Initially discovered between 1561 and 1565 in the Circo Flaminio area, they underwent a lengthy restoration involving numerous sculptors, utilizing materials like Pentelic and Carrara marble.
The restoration of these colossi was complex due to exposure to smog and bad weather, with the last cleaning recorded in 2006. The recent intervention, costing 270 thousand euros, is part of the Caput Mundi program, a ‘jubilee’ segment of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
Rome also houses two other Dioscuri statues, made of concrete, outside the Quirinale presidential palace. These statues, larger than their Campidoglio counterparts, have stood there since the Renaissance when the palace served as the papal residence.
