The Bossi Fountain returns to be the protagonist of the urban space of LuganoAfter a comprehensive restoration project begun in 2025, the monument, built at the end of the 19th century, has been restored to full functionality and enhanced through a series of cultural initiatives that recount its history and significance for the city.
The official inauguration of the restoration is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17th at 5:00 PM in the City Council Chamber of Palazzo Civico. This event marks the conclusion of a project that went beyond conservation aspects, but is part of a broader reflection on the city's historical heritage promoted as part of the Lugano Belle Époque project.
A monument linked to the birth of the city aqueduct
The Bossi Fountain represents an important chapter in Lugano's urban history. It was created in 1895 by artists Otto Maraini and Luigi Vassalli to celebrate the commissioning of the municipal aqueduct, an infrastructure destined to profoundly change the population's quality of life.
The work was financed thanks to the bequest of the industrialist Antonio Bossi (1829-1893), to whom the monument is dedicated. Even today, it is the only monumental fountain in the city, a feature that enhances its historical and artistic value.
Over the decades, however, the monument had gradually lost some of its legibility. Ground settlement had compromised its structural balance and proper water flow, while the natural deterioration of the materials had necessitated extensive restoration.
A recovery that involved every component
The work involved the entire structure of the fountain. The stone and bronze elements were restored, the hydraulic system was renewed, and the lighting system was updated.
The project also included the surrounding area. The ground level was lowered to reveal a step originally planned for the project and subsequently covered. At the same time, the landscaping was redesigned, adding new seasonal plantings.
The goal was to restore the monument to its historical state as closely as possible, while also improving its public accessibility.
A piece of the Lugano Belle Époque project
The restoration of the Bossi Fountain is part of the Lugano Belle Époque program, an initiative through which the Culture Division is exploring a crucial phase in the city's development.
Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lugano experienced a period of significant urban, social, and cultural transformation. During those years, the city consolidated its tourist appeal and saw the construction of many of the public works that still define its identity today.
Through the restoration of the fountain, the City intends to enhance not only an artistic asset, but also the memory of that period of change that helped shape Lugano's modern face.
Exhibition and publication to tell its story
The June 17th celebrations will be accompanied by two initiatives dedicated to historical exploration.
On the lakeside, near the fountain and at the level of Piazza Riziero Rezzonico, an exhibition will be inaugurated that retraces the history of the monument, from its construction to the recent restoration works.
At the same time, the sixth volume of the series will be presented With care, a publication that documents the restoration and places its history in the context of Lugano's urban growth at the end of the nineteenth century.
The exhibition and book thus offer a broader understanding of the Bossi Fountain's significance, connecting it to the transformations that have accompanied the city's evolution toward a new touristic and cultural dimension.
Other restorations planned along the lakeside
The work on the Bossi Fountain is not an isolated case. Further conservation work is planned for this summer on two important sculptures overlooking the lake.
These are the monument dedicated to William Tell, created by Vincenzo Vela, and the Monument to Carlo Battaglini, by Luigi Vassalli. Both will be the subject of interventions aimed at protecting and enhancing the city's artistic heritage.
The photographic exhibition dedicated to the Belle Époque
The initiatives related to the Bossi Fountain complement another cultural initiative already underway. The photography exhibition is open until the end of August. Lugano Belle Époque. The Unseen Perspective of H.A. Insinger, set up on the second floor of the Palazzo Civico in Lugano.
The exhibition is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 to 11:30 and from 1:30 to 5:00 pm, and offers a selection of images documenting the city during one of the most significant phases of its evolution.
The inauguration program
The inaugural event on June 17th includes:
- institutional greeting from the city authorities;
- presentation of the sixth volume of the series With care;
- Transfer to the lakeside for a guided tour of the exhibition dedicated to the Bossi Fountain.
