The Goethe statue was given as a sign of friendship by Emperor William II of Germany to the city of Rome and was inaugurated in June 1904 in the presence of King Vittorio Emanuele III. It symbolized the deep bond between Rome and Germany. Goethe was chosen because he was influenced the time he had spent in the city as a youth. At the base of the pedestal there are three groups that represent the artistic fields in which he was active: philosophy, drama and opera.