Statue of Domenico Modugno

There are at least two things in Polignano a Mare which remind of the great Italian singer Domenico Modugno. The first is the seafront which bears his name, located in the northwestern part of the city, and the second is the statue dedicated to him, in the immediate vicinity.

THE ARTIST

Domenico Modugno was born in Polignano a Mare, on January 9, 1928. When he was little, his father taught him to play the guitar and accordion. He wrote his first song at the age of 15. Later, he became a leading figure in theater, television, radio and cinematography.

Domenico Modugno won the San Remo Music Festival – the most popular Italian song contest, four times. He starred in 45 films and recorded 230 songs. His most famous song, Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu, universally known as Volare, was released in 1958 and became one of the best-known songs in the world, translated into more than 20 languages.

On August 26, 1993, Domenico Modugno held in Polignano a Mare the last major concert of his career, attended by 70,000 people. One year later, he died of heart attack on the island of Lampedusa.

THE STATUE

The statue, three meters tall, was unveiled on May 31, 2009, near the eastern end of the Lungomare Domenico Modugno. The construction of the statue was commissioned by the town, and the rock on which the statue was placed was donated by Banca Popolare di Bari.

Work of the contemporary sculptor Hermann Majer, the statue was designed with open arms, facing the sea. However, the locals, proud of their town, wanted the statue to face the city, and eventually that thing happened. The sculpture was certainly influenced by the song Volare.

HOW TO GET THERE

The Statue of Domenico Modugno is located about 900 meters away from the Polignano a Mare train station. To find it on foot, use the map below.