December 19, 2014: Horses in Rome Advent Calendar

An equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II stands at the center of the large white monument in Piazza Venezia, the heart of Rome. The colossal statue of the "Father of the Nation" is the work of sculptor Enrico Chiaradia. It weighs fifty tons and is 12 meters long.  Before the statue was completed in 1910  lunch was served inside the belly of the horse to a small group people who worked on the sculpture. Old photos show that there were more than twenty people inside for the meal.