The statue, representing Hercules, was created by Jacopo Tatti called the "Sansovino" at the behest of the Duke Ercole Il d'Este. The commission of the work dates back to 1550 while the execution was completed as early as June 1553. At first the statue was placed in the square of the ancient Rocca - now no longer existing - but, following the destruction of the fortification occurred in 1704 , the work was abandoned. Only in 1727 was it returned to the center of the current Piazza Matteotti, where a copy of it is now visible. The original is preserved and exhibited at the Roman Archaeological Museum, in the San Benedetto Cultural Center.