Rivetta Tell

At the main entrance of the Civic park, on the lakeshore, there is a statue of William Tell by Vincenzo Vela, sculpted by the artist in 1856.

It was restored by the Rotary Club of Lugano, to mark the 200 years’ anniversary of the Canton of Ticino joining the Swiss Confederation and it was symbolically given to the Municipality and its citizens on the 21st July 2003. The restoration process was led by Claudio Cometta, with the collaboration of Gianna Mina Zeni, who is currently the director of the Museo Vincenzo Vela in Ligornetto.

The statue, sculpted in a block of sandstone issued from the Brenno d’Arcisate quarry, showed the damages and negative effects of atmospheric agents. A second stage of the restoration was devoted to reconstructing the missing parts of the sculpture, especially two arrows that Tell was holding in his right hand facing upwards and half of the bow that the hero is holding in his left hand, by his hip.

William Tell’s sculpture on the shore of Lake Lugano has not always been in this spot, that today is known as Rivetta Tell. The Ciani brothers, who had commissioned this work of art, wanted it to be placed in front of their Hôtel du Parc near the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. It was then carried to the Riva Albertolli in 1914, and since 1942 this stretch of the shore near the entrance of the park has been called Rivetta Tell.