Functioning as the green lungs of the city, this park was created around 1850 in the area occupied by the ancient “Citadel”, a defensive fortress built in 1339 by the Gonzaga family, lords of Reggio at that time.
View of the park
Founding of the park was thus contemporary to that of the Valli Theater, and was part of the city’s 19th century urban reorganization plan. Now located in the park is an archeological relic from the Roman era, the “Monument to the Concordio Family” featuring a bust of Caio Concordio I and his family. Among majestic trees, rare plants and vast green spaces, visitors will find statues and busts of famous Reggian personalities, such as poets Ludovico Ariosto and Matteo Maria Boiardo, a monumental fountain dedicated to abbot and benefactor Ferrari Bonini, and sculptures depicting the “Four Seasons”, originally from the Ducal Villa in Rivalta.
Monument to the Concordio family
In 1930, the Reggio Gardens were embellished by the presence of an important piece of sculpture, the Monument to the Concordio Family. The sculpture is a funeral monument from imperial times, found in Boretto during redevelopment works.
Concordi Monument, 41-54 A.D.
The funeral inscription states that the work was carried out for Caio Concordio I and for Caio Concordio Reno, and reads as follows: “Munazia Rufilla Caia, freed from slavery by Caio, donated the monument, during her lifetime, by decree of the Decurions, in memory of Caio Concordio Brescellese the first, Seviro Augustale, to Caio Concordio Reno Seviro Augustale, husband of Concordia, daughter of Caio, and to Festa daughter of Concordio Reno.”
Caio Concordio and Concordio Reno had earned the position of “Seviro”, meaning “in service of Augustus”. Thus they were magistrates in service of the emperor, bringing great prestige to the family in the town of Brixillum, towards the middle of the 1st century A.D. Creation of this impressive funeral monument bears witness to this important family’s desire to show fellow citizens in the town, the prestige of the position they had obtained and the power gained as a result.
Memorial stone for the Concordi Monument
The enclosure type structure of the work, so-called because of its square shape, is quite striking. The memorial stone is located inside the enclosure. The work underwent restoration in the Eighties.
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