Rome Honors Alberto Sordi: Italy’s First Statue Dedicated to the Legendary Actor Unveiled at Villa De Sanctis

Rome has officially unveiled its first permanent sculptural tribute to one of its most beloved sons, the legendary actor and director Alberto Sordi. On June 15, 2026—what would have been his 106th birthday—a life-sized bronze statue was inaugurated inside the park of Villa De Sanctis, located in Rome’s Municipio V.

Accompanied by the lively notes of the Rome Local Police marching band, the ceremony brought together local citizens and top city officials, including Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, Municipio V President Mauro Caliste, and representatives from the Alberto Sordi Museum Foundation.

A Statue “Made for the People”

Crafted by sculptor Massimiliano Saccucci and produced by the Fonderia Domus dei 1963 in collaboration with the Fondazione Museo Alberto Sordi, the monument captures the essence of the actor’s approachable and warm demeanor. Sordi is depicted smiling, casually sitting on a bench.

Positioned right in front of the “Silvio Di Francia” House of Culture and Sport inside the park, visitors are actively encouraged to sit down next to him. Mayor Gualtieri highlighted this intimate design, stating, “The statue is close to the citizens, just like Sordi was… Anyone can sit right next to him, have a little chat, and look him in the eyes. Sordi possessed the incredible ability to portray our city and country through the lens of Roman identity, capturing the complex sides of Italy’s social transformations with his unique comedy.”

Why Villa De Sanctis?

While Alberto Sordi is internationally recognized for portraying the universal spirit of the Roman citizen, he shared a particularly deep bond with this specific eastern neighborhood of Rome.

Municipio V President Mauro Caliste, who first proposed the idea in 2023, reminded attendees that Sordi filmed four of his movies in this exact area. Giambattista Faralli, president of the Alberto Sordi Museum Foundation, shared another touching historical anecdote: back when Sordi was symbolically named “Mayor of Rome for a day” (on his 80th birthday), he chose Villa De Sanctis as the location for the celebratory dinner that concluded his special day.

Preserving Italian Cinematic History

Remarkably, despite his massive impact on Italian culture, this marks the very first public commemorative statue dedicated to Alberto Sordi in Italy.

For the artist, Massimiliano Saccucci, the project was born out of a fundamental need to preserve the history of Italian cinema, noting that Sordi described the vices, virtues, and history of mid-century Italians better than anyone else. The Foundation hopes the monument will help pass down his artistic legacy to younger generations of Romans and tourists alike.

How to Visit:

• Where: Parco di Villa De Sanctis (Via Casilina), Rome – right in front of the Casa della Cultura e dello Sport “Silvio Di Francia”.

• What to do: Take a stroll through the park, snap a classic Roman selfie sitting next to Albertone, and immerse yourself in a neighborhood rich with authentic cinematic history!