The Nile at The Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

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The Statue of the Nile God, also known as Statua del dio Nilo, is a stunning Ancient Roman marble sculpture created between 200-100 BCE. It stands proudly in Piazzetta Nilo, at the beginning of via Nilo, giving its name to this charming quarter. The church of Santa Maria Assunta dei Pignatelli faces the statue directly, while the Palazzo Panormita rises on its north flank. Just two blocks east along Via Benedetto Croce, which is part of the Decumano Inferiore commonly known as Via Spaccanapoli, stands the beautiful church of San Domenico. The Statue of the Nile God depicts the Egyptian deity reclining with a cornucopia in hand and resting on a now damaged sphinx. Its creators likely built it in the ancient Roman port city by skilled artisans from Alexandria. The statue was discovered headless in 1476, earning the nickname "Corpo di Napoli." In 1657, it was placed upon a pedestal, and nearly a century later, a bearded head was sculpted to complete the masterpiece. Unfortunately, the statue suffered another decapitation at the hands of robbers in recent decades but was thankfully recovered. A high-quality replica of this Ancient Roman sculpture can be found in the Vatican Museums. Both statues are copies of an original from Alexandria, Egypt, and many more versions can be discovered around the world. One such example is located in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, France, while another stands nearby in the Louvre. This incredible statue is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory that aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe. The project is open-source and community-driven, inviting anyone with interesting items to contribute by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how they can help.