The Farnese Bridge's flight over the Tiber

Yesterday evening, just before sunset, the Farnese Bridge took flight from the banks of the Tiber River, symbolically connecting Farnese Palace to the Farnesina Villa. Michelangelo Buonarroti’s dream became a reality, thanks to the French artist Olivier Grossetête’s project, and to the initiative promoted by the French Embassy, with the Institut Français Italia, the support of the Webuild Group, and the collaboration with Villa Farnesina- Accademia dei Lincei.

Yesterday afternoon, after days of workshop open to citizens and based on sharing and participation, the Farnese Bridge was set up on the Tiber’s bank, a stone's throw from Ponte Sisto, where in the evening the installation was admired by hundreds of people.

The event, part of the rich agenda of cultural projects launched by the French Embassy, was also attended by the French Ambassador to Italy Christian Masset, Webuild CEO Pietro Salini, the President of the Academy of Lincei Giorgio Parisi, the Mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, and the Vice-President of the Lazio Region Daniele Leodori.

"The Embassy - declared Christian Masset - after a long period in which participation in the events was precluded, has promoted Olivier Grossetête's project with a strong team spirit, also in the area of the restoration works of Palazzo Farnese that will last until 2025. It is a great opportunity that offers citizens the possibility of participating directly in a cultural project that is also a tribute to their city and to their history.”

The initiative was supported by the Webuild Group, a global leader of the large infrastructure sector committed to promoting cultural projects worldwide: from the exhibition on "Raffaello Sanzio", to the celebrations of artist Arturo Toscanini and the rescue of the Abu Simbel Temples.

«We are proud to have made a dream come true” – said Webuild CEO Pietro Salini. – This installation, also a symbol of sustainability, represents the synthesis of a collective participation which, under the skillful and imaginative guide of the artist, was able to put together all the actors and elements needed to complete this artistic work, in record time. It is the confirmation that collaboration and participation make it possible to overcome the obstacles that each complex project entails, also allowing implementation times to be consistent with the objectives that the work itself proposes. A model that we applied in Genoa, when we built the San Giorgio Bridge, and which we hope will act as a lever for the rapid execution of the many works that Italy needs now ".