Qui in Agosto e Settembre MDCCCXIX albergò e per la liberta congiurò Giorgio Gordon Lord Byron che alla Grecia la vita All’Italia die’, il cuore e l’ingegno del quale. Niuno surse tra i moderni più potente d’accompagnare alla poesia l’azione. Niuno più inclito e pietoso a cantare le glorie e le sventure del nostro popolo.
A ricordo con gratitudine d’Italiano Francesca Ravaldoni. Pose MDCCCLXXXVI
{This translates as:}
Here in August and September MDCCCXIX {1819} resided and conspired for the cause of liberty George Gordon Lord Byron who gave to Greece his life, to Italy his heart and genius. No one among the modern poets was more powerful than he in accompanying poetry with action, no one more willing and compassionate in singing the glories and misfortunes of our people.
In memory with the gratitude of an Italian. Placed by Francesco Ravaldoni. MDCCCLXXXVI.
The photo of the plaque comes from Storia e Memoria di Bologna. The caption translates as "Memorial in honour of Byron written by Carducci, now in the atrium of the palace at 7 via Ugo Bassi. From the magazine “the city life” – October 1920."
Site: Byron in Bologna (2 memorials)
Via Ugo Bassi
Byron spent 1816 - 1823 in Italy in various towns and in 1819 he came to Bologna once or twice in pursuit of his married lover, Teresa Contessa Guiccioli. He stayed at a luxury, elite hotel, L’Albergo del Pellegrino which was at no 7 Via Ugo Bassi, this address. In 1886 the owner, Francesco Ravaldoni, erected a plaque commemorating Byron's visit in the entrance lobby of the hotel.
At the end of the 1920s the road needed widening and the hotel was demolished, and apparently the plaque was preserved. Then in 2008 this new plaque, with almost identical wording to the original, was erected by the commune of Bologna. This new plaque says that the original plaque is preserved at this address. And online we found reference to the original plaque, even a photo. We looked around, inside and out, but could not find it.
We could not have reported on these two plaques without the help of our Italian consultant, John Hartley, to whom, grateful thanks.
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