Obelisco alle Tredici Vittime del 14 Aprile 1860 - Rivolta della Gancia

The Obelisco alle Tredici Vittime stands in Palermo’s Piazza XIII Vittime and commemorates victims of the Rivolta della Gancia. Sculptor Salvatore Valenti created the obelisk for this Palermo square. The uprising formed part of resistance to Bourbon rule and connected Palermo with the wider Risorgimento. The Gancia monastery sheltered the rebels during the uprising. After betrayal, Bourbon forces captured the survivors, imprisoned them in Castello a Mare, and executed them without trial. The executions took place beside the present Piazza XIII Vittime. The square carries the victims’ memory, while the obelisk marks a violent chapter in Palermo’s struggle for liberty. Greenery and passing traffic surround the monument within the square. A restored marble plaque in Piazza XIII Vittime also recalls the Risorgimento dead and their example of freedom. The monument remains a historical marker in Palermo. Its position beside another monument reflects how Piazza XIII Vittime holds several layers of Palermo’s public memory.