They have passed 51 years since the discovery of the Riace bronzes, two magnificent Greek statues from the 5th century BC recovered thanks to a fortuitous discovery in the waters of the small Calabrian village. For Calabria, the two warriors were immediately a symbol of cultural identification and hope of redemption. The episode of “Italia. Journey into beauty” is dedicated to them – signed by Brigida Gullo directed by Federico Cataldi – on air at 10.10 pm on Rai Storia.
Arrived in Florence for the first restoration that lasted five years, since their debut at the Archaeological Museum, on December 15, 1980, the bronzes have attracted crowds of tourists and visitors for their harmony of form and expression. Their final destination, in the summer of 1981, was the then National Museum of Reggio Calabria, today the Archaeological Museum, which continues to preserve and enhance them. But the Riace bronzes are not simply two Greek statues from the 5th century BC. I am much more.