Statue collapses at Villa Margherita in Trapani: Vandals or poor maintenance?

Vandals in action or deterioration of the statue? What could have happened to the monument depicting revolutionary priest Vito Pappalardo located inside Villa Margherita in Trapani. One thing is certain: the pedestal is empty and the 19th-century bust of the religious figure is found hidden in the tall grass. Two scholars on vacation in Trapani, Miriam Di Maggio and archaeologist Mattia Cozzolino, noticed the empty pedestal and discovered the sculpture, mostly intact except for the parts of the face, scattered nearby on the ground. It is unclear what exactly happened, but if there are surveillance cameras inside the villa, it may help uncover the truth. Once again, a valuable asset of the city has been left abandoned without any intervention, as nobody seems to have noticed the statue’s absence. The two tourists who made the discovery insist on an immediate restoration since the pieces of the face and head have been found. Similar acts of vandalism have occurred in Villa Margherita before, targeting statues of Pio La Torre and Piersanti Mattarella. Unknown individuals defaced the inscriptions on the marble steles within the villa, removing some letters and damaging other engravings. In April 2017, only the word “mafia” remained intact, while the rest of the inscriptions were completely or partially destroyed. In December 2019, informational signs in the villa were also targeted, with some bent, others burned, and some becoming illegible due to damage and negligence.

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Trapani, statua crollata a Villa Margherita: vandali o cattiva manutenzione

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