Ivan Vazov

                                                         (1850 - 1921)

Probably many of you will ask yourself what is the connection between Ivan Vazov and Italy and what is the occasion to build in Rome a monument to the Patriarch of Bulgarian Literature.

The Vasov's statue is located at the Torvalsen Square, next to the Art Gallery of Modern Art. The monument was opened on 21 May 2010 and was made by the Bulgarian sculptor prof. Velichko Minekov. The reason for the discovery of a Vazov monument in Rome is related with his poetry collection "Italy", which he created during his trip to the Apennines. As Vazov himself tells, the poetry born after this journey is the result of a personal observation and a real impression that the writer has carefully described in his notebook, gathering every night at the hotel. Reading his poetry collection, we can assume that Pompey is one of the first visited cities. In fact, it's the exact place where the Pompey Museum was born.

Vazov comes to Italy very soon after the liberation of his native land and of course the memories of tyranny, the enthusiasm of freedom and the humanistic ideas of art that surrounded him in this journey have undoubtely influenced the created poetry. What we can learn from Vazov poetry is that today, but also in the past, you could have taked a carriage ride and enjoy the stories of a nice guide. We know that our poet has visited the Amphitheater of the Flavians, to whom he also dedicated a poem, as well as the church "San Pietro in Vincoli", where we can find the statue of Moses by Michelangelo that is part of the marble tombstone composition dedicated to the Pope Julius II Della Rovere.

Climbing the stairs of the Spain Square and heading to the left, in about 5-10 minutes you will find yourself in Villa Borghese Park, which Romans call "Pincio" because of the predominant Mediterranean pine trees. The park was part of the Borghese family, where its name came from. And here you will immediately notice the marble busts of the great Italian majesty of art, science, music and literature. It is among these busts that our Vazov walked, as a result of which he dedicates poems to the marble images of Torquato Tasso, Dante and Petrarca.