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In order to prevent destruction, a huge statue of Pope Gregory XIII in Bologna was recast as Saint Petronius.
Located on the central Piazza Maggiore, Palazzo d’Accursio serves as the town hall of the city of Bologna. On its façade, there is a large bronze statue located over the portal. This statue represents Pope Gregory XIII, who was born in the Italian city and is most known for having commissioned the Gregorian Calendar. The statue was installed in 1580 during the pontificate of Gregorius XIII and dominated the main square unchanged for two centuries. That is until Napoleonic invasion of Italy ended the long rule of the Papal States over Bologna. Since the statue was seen as a symbol of the authority of the pope over the city, it was set to be melted into cannonballs, like so many other bronze artifacts of the era.
