Italy-Lebanon: Embassy, deep-rooted cooperation

(ANSA) - ROMA, 20 GIU - The relationship and cooperation between Italy and Lebanon is deep-rooted. This is recalled by the Italian Embassy in Beirut, which emphasises how strong the Italian imprint is in the Middle Eastern country with landmarks such as the statue of the Martyrs by sculptor Mazzacurati and the imposing St. George's Cathedral by architect Maggiore.
    The monument to the martyrs and the independence of Lebanon was created by Renato Marino Mazzacurati in 1960. A sculptor and painter among the representatives of the so-called Roman School, throughout his productive career Mazzacurati approached different artistic currents from Cubism to Expressionism and Realism. Politics played a fundamental role in his production. Indeed, he believed that art could fulfil a social function.
    The Maronite Cathedral of St George, archdiocese of the city of Beirut, with its neoclassical façade, interior and floor plan inspired by the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, was designed in 1884 by the Italian architect Giuseppe Maggiore.