Description of the attraction
The Bilotti Open Air Museum is located in the modern part of Cosenza, between Corso Mazzini, which has been given over to pedestrians, and Piazza Bilotti. Corso Mazzini is the main street of Cosenza and a kind of city living room, which has been closed to car traffic since 2002. It is also the commercial center of the city, which houses an unusual open-air museum - unique not only for Calabria, but for the whole of Italy. On the territory of this museum, many sculptures made in the Art Nouveau style are exhibited, which delight the eyes of city residents and tourists. Among the exhibits are “Saint George Conquering the Dragon” by Salvador Dali, “Hector and Andromache” by Giorgio de Chirico, “Bronzes” by Sasha Sosno, “Bather” by Emilio Greco, “Cardinal” by Giacomo Manzu and various marble sculptures by Pietro Consagra. All of them were donated to the city by the Italian-American entrepreneur and collector Carlo Bilotti (died in New York in 2006). The expositions of the museum begin in Piazza dei Bruzi and end in Piazza Bilotti.
In 2008, Sasha Sosno's “Three Columns” were exhibited in the southern part of the museum space, and a little later - the thirteenth sculpture donated to the inhabitants of Cosenza by the Bilotti family - “The Head of Medusa” by Giacomo Manzu. Later appeared "Archaeologists" - the second work of Giorgio de Chirico, presented in the museum, and his "Great Metaphysician", called the most beautiful and elegant sculpture. Most recently, the museum was presented with a "Ferro Rosso" by Pietro Consagra - the sculpture was installed near Piazza Kennedy, in the northern part of the pedestrian zone. Special attention should be paid to the sculpture of white marble "Six Hearts" by the French master Sasha Sosno - it was transferred to the museum in 2011 and symbolizes the six hills of Cosenza.
