Monumento a Raffaello

The Monument to Raphael Sanzio, a tribute to the great Renaissance artist born in this city in 1483, stands in Piazzale Roma, also known as Pian del Monte—a wide green space that overlooks the northern entrance of Urbino and today serves as a symbolic and cultural landmark for both locals and visitors.

The monument was inaugurated in 1897, thanks to the efforts of the Accademia Raffaello and the contributions of a nationwide public subscription. The bronze statue was created by the Turin-based sculptor Luigi Belli and depicts Raphael standing with a palette and brushes, in a solemn and contemplative pose. The Carrara marble pedestal is enriched with bas-reliefs that commemorate key episodes from the artist’s life, such as his encounter with Pope Leo X and the design of the Vatican Loggias.

In 1947, the monument was relocated to its current position, within a public garden that also features the busts of other distinguished citizens of Urbino, forming a kind of open-air civic pantheon. Restored in 2007, it remains today a key stop for those wishing to explore Raphael’s legacy and the deep connection between Urbino and the ideals of the Renaissance.