Botticino Marble

The surfaces, most of the sculptures and almost all the architectural elements of the Vittoriano are made from a particular type of marble, Botticino. This material comes from quarries located close to some towns near Brescia, including the eponymous town of Botticino. 


 

When the architect of the Vittoriano, Giuseppe Sacconi, submitted his project, he had actually chosen Travertine, characteristic of many Roman buildings. The choice in favour of Botticino marble only occurred later, in 1889 - perhaps at the suggestion of the Minister from Brescia, Giuseppe Zanardelli – and required a complex logistical organisation of the construction site.

Among its main characteristics, Botticino boasts excellent solidity and a particular white sheen. For these reasons, it was also used in the White House in Washington and for the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York.