Tempio Voltiano, Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
The
Volta Temple is located in
Como, Lungo Lario
Marconi. It was inaugurated in 1928.
Conceived and funded by the industrialist and patron Somaini
Francis (1855-1939), the
Mausoleum Volta rises to coincide with the exhibition celebrating the centenary of the death of
Alessandro Volta (1745-1827). As its specific
function promoter proposes the preservation and enhancement of memorabilia voltiani, not only of the few fragments fortuitously torn burned Volta
Exposition of 1899, but also of all those "memorabilia" that in one way or another can be connected to the famous physicist and his affair Como. The building was designed by architect Federico Frigerio (1873-1959), the main exponent of architectural culture Como time. The temple, rather than the
Lombard neoclassicism, approaching the
Palladian style and generally carries a reference to "neo-Romanesque" quite divorced from the local context; Moreover, beyond the image outward, the skeleton of the building is made entirely of reinforced concrete. The decoration is the work of artists active in the Como area: the statues of
Science and Faith at the sides of the entrance are twins
Charles and
Louis Rigola, formed in the
Milan Ludovico Pogliaghi and then transferred to
Canterbury, while internal relief with scenes from the life of Alessandro Volta are the Como Pietro Clerici. The temple Volta is the most visited museum in Como. The permanent exhibition, curated by
Studio Pandakovic and
Associates, is dedicated to the memory of Alessandro Volta and the recognition of his scientific work.
On the ground floor are exposed ancient scientific instruments related to physics experiments performed by Alessandro Volta.
The gallery on the first floor is dedicated to the character Alessandro Volta, honors attributed to him in life and in later centuries. As a story, the exhibition traces the most important stages of his life, up to outline some personal and private character of Alessandro Volta through short quotes from letters to the families. Some windows contain the original honors received by Alessandro Volta, and a selection of materials celebratory widespread in
Europe in the two centuries after his death, including the banknote of 10,000 lire dedicated to Alessandro Volta, in force in
Italy until the introduction of the single currency (the euro) in
2002, on the back of which appeared the Volta Temple. Is also presented topics Voltiana Exposition of 1899, the building of the Volta Temple, the
International Congress of Physicists
1927.