Albero della Pace translating to Tree of Peace is a sculpture which was created to commemorate the victims of the 1993 Sicilian Mafia attack, which killed five people and injured 48 when a car bomb exploded on Via dei Georgofili.
The artist Andrea Roggi designed the symbolic piece which is 4.40 metres in height. It showcases a bronze olive tree with its roots clearly visible and is intended to represent the close connection between past and present. The attack was in response to the ‘maxi-trial’ which saw certain mafia bosses sentenced to life imprisonment.
If you look at the building behind the sculpture, you can see where the façade has been damaged with a stark line winding its way up the exterior.
If you wander down the street towards the river; look up to the building on your left to discover the gold patinated bronze statue of a man walking along a blade cutting into the side of the façade. The artist of the piece ‘Barni’ created the figure to represent the bearer of life and to signify hope and recovery. If you look closely, you can see he carries five smaller figures which commemorate the victims who were killed. The whole piece acts as a memorial for the people who were wounded and the countless pieces of art which were destroyed in the explosion.