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, standing 17.65 meters tall, 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 statue, made of pierre calcaire de Saint-Sulpice, is a complex structure consisting of a fountain, a column, and a statue on top. The base is intricately ornamented with a variety of panoplies, a testament to the General-Comte de Boigne's exploits. The four elephants at the base of the column spout water into an octagonal basin. The column, crowned with a palm-like trunk, supports a statue of the General-Comte de Boigne, first Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The statues of the elephants were added in 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. The public subscription raised approximately 125,000 euros, contributing 12.4% to the total cost of the restoration.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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