Erected in the heart of Chambéry, France, the Elephants Fountain was built between 1835 and 1838 as a tribute to the General-Comte de Boigne. This fountain is a testament to the General-Comte de Boigne's exploits and holds a surprising past, one that tells tales of conquests, politics, and funding.
The overall structure is built in pierre calcaire de Saint-Sulpice and is a complex superposition of three monuments: a fountain, a column, and a statue. The base is intricately ornamented with a variety of panoplies, representing the trophies and civilization of the peoples that the General de Boigne fought or governed. The four elephants at the base of the column support a large column symbolized by a palm tree trunk. This column is crowned with a statue of the General-Comte de Boigne, who is dressed in his costume of lieutenant général. The fountain was completed between 1835 and 1838.
In 2013, the fountain underwent a significant restoration, during which a public subscription was launched by the municipality of Chambéry to contribute to the cost of the restoration. This public subscription, launched in September 2012, allowed the city to raise funds to help finance the restoration work between 2013 and 2015.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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