Statues exist in many cultures from the dawn of civilization to present times. Some of them are as large as life, others aren’t. The world’s tallest statue is 128 metres and the smallest one was produced under the microscope. Many statues are built to commemorate a historical event or persons who have spent some of their lifetime in that precise place and have contributed to culture, science, or achieved glory on battlefield. Most of the statues are exhibited outdoors or in public buildings.
We want to share here the story of the bronze statues from Alba Iulia which has 25 pieces loved and appreciated by some of the visitors, vandalized, ironized or criticized by others.
For some of us, witnessing a person or an event from hundreds of years ago is an occasion for being grateful, others instead may consider the statues of some anonymous people simple decorative elements. Regardless of the season or the time of the day on the alleys of the Citadel the traveller can meet uniformed soldiers who either guard the entrance to the fortress or greet the passers by hand to the hat. They keep company with a florist who offers for sale a basket full of roses, some townspeople surprised in the middle of a conversation, a peasant woman with a small bushel who rests on the bench near a child or the citizen with the cane.
But during our walk through the citadel we have the opportunity to also observe statuary groups. One of them represents Saint Anthony surrounded by children while teaching them the word of God, another group portrays a graduate who talks with the children at play with the puppy. All the characters were designed and produced with the intent to render the citadel the atmosphere of the 17th century. Without having a story, the way these figures are caught incline the visitor to create in his own imagination the episode that led the artist to immortalize them.
Unfortunately, throughout their stay in the Citadel, the bronze characters were greeted also by passers-by less good-hearted. The countess is missing the umbrella, the officer is missing the sword, the roses of the florist have some broken leaves, the peasant woman is missing an egg, one of the townspeople has the watch broken and the soldier from the Third Gate has a broken bayonet.
Nevertheless, for all statues, Alba Iulia is home and their very existence is welcoming you to have here some pleasant moments during your visit in the Other Capital.
