The city of Bergamo is petitioning for the return of one of its most famous sons, the Italian sculptor, Giacomo Manzù. Manzù, whose works include the monument to the Partigiano (Partesan Fighter) at Bergamo and the Doors of Death in St. Peter's basilica, Rome, lived and worked for the last thirty years of his life at the historic town of Ardea, some 30 kms from Rome. He was buried in the park surrounding his studio in 1992, where there is also a museum dedicated to his work.
Bergamo, however, is now claiming that it has more right to the remains of its celebrated citizen and wishes to create a monumental tomb in the city Cathedral. Manzù's widow, Inge Schabel and his daughter Giulia are in favour of the transfer, saying that the sculptor did not leave written instructions concerning his last resting place and that Bergamo's offer to bury him in an immense, splendid Basilica such as Santa Maria Maggiore, along with other famous Bergamo citizens such as the musician Donizetti, could not be refused.
The little town of Ardea, however, is not prepared to surrender the honour of keeping the artist in the land he loved and chose to live and work in and has drawn up a petition with 10,000 signatures which they have presented to Giorgio Napolitano, Italy's President, asking that the sculptor be left to rest in peace.
Manzù donated the Ardea museum to the Italian state in 1979. It contains over 400 of his works, his house and studio and sculpture garden.
