Imperia (statue)
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The Imperia is a statue at the entrance of the harbour of Konstanz, commemorating the Council of Constance that took place there between 1414 and 1418. The concrete statue is 10 meters high, weighes 18 tonnes, and stands on a pedestal that rotates around its axis once every three minutes. It was created by Peter Lenk and erected in 1993.
The Imperia shows a woman holding two men on her hands. The two men represent Pope Martin V and Emperor Sigismund. Martin V was elected during the Council while Sigismund represents the secular power. Both are naked except for the symbols of their power.
The woman represents an Italian courtesan who was born 1485 in Ferrara. Although the historical Imperia never visited Konstanz, she is connected to the council that took place long before her birth through a short story by Balzac, "La belle Impéria". The story is a harsh satire of the Catholic clergys' morals, where Imperia seduces cardinals and princes alike and has power over them all.
