Photo Credit: discoverTuscany.com
Among the monuments dating back to the Renaissance period in Florence, Italy there is the massive 16th century sculpture the Colossus of the Apennines by Giambologna. The Apennines is made of stone and brick and had at one time grottoes decorated with frescoes and beautiful geometric decorations on the inside.
This epic colossus, half man, half mountain, was erected in the 16th century by the renowned Italian sculptor as a symbol of Italy’s rugged Appenine mountains. This mountain god, fittingly named Appennino, towers at 35 feet tall over the ground of the Villa di Pratolino in Tuscany.
The rugged statue also holds an amazing secret: its interior hides several rooms with different functions that made it truly come to life. The monster that his left hand holds spewed water from an underground stream, and it is rumored that space in his head was made for a fireplace which, when lit, would blow smoke out of his nostrils.
The statue has incredible hidden staircases that lead to private quarters too. You can find it in the park known as Villa Demidoff, which is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. until the end of October, if you’re lucky enough to be in Italy this fall, that is.
