Giovanni da Verrazzano: Difference between revisions

Verrazzano's reputation was particularly obscure in [[New York City]], where the 1609 voyage of [[Henry Hudson]] came to be regarded as the ''de facto'' start of European exploration of New York, since he sailed for the Dutch, not the French. It was only with great effort in the 1950s and 1960s that Verrazzano's name and reputation were re-established as the European discoverer of the harbor, during an effort to name the newly built Narrows bridge after him. (See [[Verrazano-Narrows Bridge#Naming|Naming controversy of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge]].'')

 

There are numerous commemorations of the explorer on [[Staten Island]], where the [[Verrazano–Narrows Bridge]],over the opening of New York Harbor, is perhaps the best known. A [[Staten Island Ferry]] boat that served New York from the 1950s to the 1990s was also named for Verrazzano. (The ferry was named the "Verrazzano", while the bridge was named "Verrazano", reflecting the confusion over the spelling of his name.) A [[Little League]] team is named for him, reflecting his connection to Staten Island, as well as the large number of Italian-Americans who live there.

 

In Narragansett Bay, the [[Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge]] is named for him, as is Maryland's [[Verrazano Bridge (Maryland)|Verrazano Bridge]]. A vessel of the [[Italian Royal Navy|Italian navy]], a destroyer of the [[Navigatori class destroyer|Navigatori class]], is also named after Verrazzano.

 

==References==