Collodi, Italy, was not exactly wanting for Pinocchio tributes even before a 63-foot-tall version of the puppet was erected. The town was used as a pen name for the creator of the famous children’s story, Carlo Collodi (he spent a lot of time there as a child), and the village’s nearby Pinocchio Park tells Collodi’s original story through different sculptures, mosaics, shows, and more.

The presence of the towering Pinocchio, however, is by far the most alluring physical reminder of Collodi’s history. At 52 feet tall (63 if you include the plinth), it is the tallest Pinocchio in the world. This latest tribute to the famous puppet is situated in a public space right across from Pinocchio Park, making the area a microcosm for the village’s overwhelming pride in Collodi and his character. 

The world’s tallest Pinocchio was constructed in 2008 and is dedicated to the UN convention on the rights of a child, an international human rights treaty that protects, among other things, the cultural rights of children. The occasion was marked with a written call for the European Constitution to include the principles from UN Declaration of Children’s Rights, particularly its concerns about education and culture.

The world’s tallest Pinocchio (whose nose must be at least 10 feet long) may be what draws attention to the village, but its the indescribable feeling one gets from being surrounded by the charming story Collodi wrote so many years ago that makes people want to come back.

Carlo Collodi’s novel may have put the village “on the map;” however, its 12th century origins and other notable attractions, especially the 17th century Garzoni Garden (considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy) and the Butterfly House have made Collodi a destination for centuries.