Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Venice Monument to Niccolò Tommaseo

Monument to Niccolò Tommaseo

The pile of books behind the dignified writer gave the statue a most undignified nickname.

Venice, Italy

Added By
StepYoshi
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Caga libri.   G.dallorto/cc by-sa 2.5
Caga libri.   G.dallorto/cc by-sa 2.5
Caga libri.   Didier Descouens/cc by-sa 4.0
  tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Caga libri.   G.dallorto/cc by-sa 2.5
March 2025   Jilda Caccavo / Atlas Obscura User
March 2025   Jilda Caccavo / Atlas Obscura User
Nice worth the walk   cguthrie1950 / Atlas Obscura User
  jlord7 / Atlas Obscura User
View from inside the building across the square.   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
  jlord7 / Atlas Obscura User
Statue of Niccolò Tommaseo   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Because it’s one of the biggest squares in Venice, Italy, Campo Santo Stefano is often a busy spot. But tourists bustling from the train station to the various churches and palaces dotting its perimeter may miss one of its most curious sights: a dignified statue with a most undignified nickname.

In the center of the square stands a statue dedicated to Italian linguist, writer, and patriot Niccolò Tommaseo. It was built in 1882 and was carved from a block of Carrara marble by Francesco Barzaghi.

In this statue, Tommaseo looks serious, with his arms folded as he frowns. His hands clutch rolls of paper, and he wears a sharp outfit reflective of the fashions of his time. Some books are piled behind him, which were actually placed there to give the statue some extra support.

It’s these books that make light of the statue’s otherwise serious appearance. Venetians noted that the placement of the books, just behind Tommaseo's legs and partially covered by his long coat, made for an involuntary comic outcome. As such, they dubbed the statue Caga libri," which translates to "Bookshitter." The tongue-in-cheek name is still widely used today.

Related Tags

Books Statues Monuments

Know Before You Go

You can walk by the statue at any time.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

StepYoshi

Edited By

Jaszmina Szendrey, tylercole, Kerry Wolfe, cguthrie1950...

  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • tylercole
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • cguthrie1950
  • jlord7
  • Jilda Caccavo

Published

February 6, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://venicewiki.org/wiki/Campo_Santo_Stefano
  • http://www.veneziamuseo.it/terra/san_marco/Vidal/vid_cur_cagalibri.htm
Monument to Niccolò Tommaseo
2951 Campo Santo Stefano
Venice
Italy
45.433273, 12.33042
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Peggy Guggenheim's Grave

Venice, Italy

miles away

Palazzo Dario

Venice, Italy

miles away

Scala Contarini del Bovolo

Venice, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Venice

Venice

Italy

Places 34
Stories 15

Nearby Places

Peggy Guggenheim's Grave

Venice, Italy

miles away

Palazzo Dario

Venice, Italy

miles away

Scala Contarini del Bovolo

Venice, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Venice

Venice

Italy

Places 34
Stories 15

Related Places

  • Librarian with Donkey Monument

    Ürgüp, Turkey

    Librarian With the Donkey Monument

    A monument to the Turkish librarian who delivered books on the back of a donkey.

  • Punk monument of Visací zámek.

    Prague, Czechia

    Punk Monument

    This pink tractor statue pays tribute to a legendary underground punk band.

  • Lyon, France

    Saint Exupéry Monument

    This statue stands in honor of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the French author of 'The Little Prince' and an aviation hero.

  • Chuck and Snoopy

    Saint Paul, Minnesota

    Peanuts Gang Bronzes

    A tribute to Charles M. Schulz, who created the iconic cartoon that features Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and more.

  • A crowd of statues

    Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Garden of the Generalissimos

    A Taiwanese garden teems with the retired statues of the island's former dictator.

  • The Juneteenth Monument at Ashton Villa.

    Galveston, Texas

    Juneteenth Monument at Ashton Villa

    The statue, located at a mansion-turned-emancipation museum, honors Galveston’s history as the birthplace of Juneteenth.

  • Taken May 2024 -  Photographer Anna Duren

    Toyama, Japan

    Fureai Sekibutsu no Sato (Village of Statues)

    This abandoned park is home to hundreds of stone statues ranging from humans to mystical beings.

  • The Rakovac memorial from the knees up

    Poreč, Croatia

    Joakim Rakovac Memorial

    A monument to one of Croatia's famous freedom fighters.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.