“The Seaman’s Monument”
The sculpture, about seven meters tall, rests on a pedestal and depicts two sailors waving to boats passing through the Navigable Channel and raising their characteristic caps with their right hands. Made in bronze by sculptor Vittorio Di Cobertaldo in 1974, the work was donated to the city at the behest of Admiral Angelo Iachino, commander of the fleet stationed in Taranto during World War II.
The monument is a tribute to the city and its military history. He particularly remembers the “Night of Taranto” (November 11-12, 1940), when the Italian Navy suffered heavy losses following a British air attack. In addition, the sculpture commemorates the Navy’s sacrifice in the last world conflict, with more than 24,000 officers, non-commissioned officers and sailors having fallen in the war.