The Dante Column

On a Roman column stands the figurine Beatrice by the poet Dante Alighieri. The statue was financed by friends of Denmark and Italy in the two countries and was placed there in order for the Danish people to be inspired and strengthened by the great work of the great Italian poet Dante Alighieri and as a visible sign of the cultural friendship between the two countries. On the inscription it says “Incipit Vita Nova” which means ”Here begins the new life”. This is a direct reference to one of Dantes poems by the same name “Vita Nuova”. In front of the column is Dante himself. The column was raised 1922 on the 600th anniversary of Dantes death.