The Volta Temple
The Volta Temple kept the discoveries and the originals of the scientific instruments used by Alessandro Volta.
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The Volta Temple
The Volta Temple, inaugurated in July 1928 and donated by the Como-born industrialist Francesco Somaini to the city of Como, was conceived as a new home that kept the discoveries and originals of the scientific instruments used by Alessandro Volta.
Somaini wanted the building to be worthy of the great scientist from Como not only for the high scientific value of the content, but also for its monumental appearance that gave the city new luster. The architect Federico Frigerio was chosen as the designer, who created the work in neoclassical style referring explicitly to the Pantheon. It is the only mausoleum in the world raised in memory of a scientist. Here you can admire portraits, sculptures, medals, personal objects, documents, books and photographic reproductions.
The exhibits are a rich collection of devices, machines and tools, which allow the visitor to easily and completely identify the themes that were the subject of Alessandro Volta’s studies and research, starting with the invention of the battery, to continue with the fundamental contributions in the field of electrology, in the study of gases and their properties.
Many of the exhibited materials are originals of Volta, others are faithful reconstructions to make up for the loss of the originals, destroyed by the fire of 1899.
