Il Gobbo di Rialto

Renaissance marble statue of a hunchback at the Rialto – one of Venice's most quirky landmarks.

Il Gobbo di Rialto – the Hunchback of the Rialto – is a marble statue carved from Istrian stone, standing opposite the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto in Venice. Sculpted in the 16th century by Pietro da Salò, it depicts a crouching, naked hunchback supporting a small flight of steps from which public proclamations were once read aloud. The figure is one of Venice's most unusual landmarks and closely tied to the folk culture of the Rialto district.