Verona has a new urban icon. In Piazza Bra, near the famous Liston, “BeYond Barrier” has been inaugurated—a sculpture celebrating the city’s connection to the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today, anyone walking through the square will see more than just the unmistakable profile of the Arena: at the heart of the public space stands a work destined to become a symbol of Verona and its international spirit.
Red Verona Marble Supporting the Five Continents
The true protagonist is the material. The Olympic Five Rings, a global symbol of the Games, were created with marbles sourced from every continent, from Indian Green to Australia’s Red Pilbara. But the heart of the work is distinctly Veronese. The base and supporting structure are made of Red Verona Marble, the historic stone that has colored and defined the city’s identity, while two wings of Pietra di Prun—quarried in the Lessinia mountains, as it was 2,000 years ago for the Arena—complete the installation.
“I was born in a Lessinia stone quarry,” said Mayor Damiano Tommasi at the inauguration. “My first thought was how to make something temporary last forever. We wanted a work that celebrated our territory: Verona is the world’s leading city for marble with Marmomac, and it is only right that this symbol represents us.”
A Unique Work Authorized by the IOC
“BeYond Barrier” is no ordinary installation: it is the first sculpture in Olympic history to be directly approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Veronese artist Federico Ferrarini interpreted the Olympic spirit through two asymmetrical wings: one broken, symbolizing solidarity and welcome; the other reaching upward, a metaphor for sporting ambition.
“An artist’s dream is sometimes an engineer’s nightmare,” Ferrarini joked, recalling the technical challenges of combining such diverse materials from around the world. Yet, like in an Olympic team, the result is a perfect harmony that unites local identity with international embrace.
New Selfie Spot and a Lasting Legacy
Strategically positioned, the sculpture will become the new selfie spot for tourists, offering a single frame that captures both the Five Rings and the Arena in the background. For Veronese citizens, however, “BeYond Barrier” is more than a photo opportunity: it is a reminder that Verona will not just be a stopover for Olympic ceremonies, but a guardian of a cultural and sporting legacy that will remain in the city forever.
