 This sculpture depicts the Italian explorer and navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano (c. 1485-1528). He is known for being the first European to have entered New York Bay. Verrazzano wrote a journal based on his travels across the ocean. This document later served to help other explorers such as Henry Hudson. 

 At the time of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909, the Italian community was mobilized by Carlo Barsotti, the editor of the Italian language newspaper&amp;nbsp;Il Progresso, to contribute funds toward the creation of this statue.  

 In 1523, with the support of the French king Francois I, as well as Florentine bankers, Verrazzano set sail on the ship&amp;nbsp;Dauphine&amp;nbsp;in search of a passage to the Pacific Ocean and the Far East. On this voyage, Verrazzano explored the coast line now comprising the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada.  

Giovanni da Verrazzano Statue

 Jonathan Kuhn, the Director of Art and Antiquities for NYC Parks, discusses the Giovanni Da Verrazzano in Battery Park. Giovanni Da Verrazzano was one of the first European explorers in New York Bay. After the rise of Italian immigration in the early 20th century, the Italian community decided to raise this sculpture in Battery Park. 